herzigmary Reviews

The House with a Clock in Its Walls (2018)

The House with a Clock in Its Walls (2018) A WARLOCK IS NOT A MALE WITCH.

[5/10 · 25 February 2019]

Lewis Barnavelt, after losing his parents, is sent to Michigan to live with his uncle Jonathan. He discovers his uncle is a warlock and enters a world of magic and sorcery. However, Lewis soon discovers that there is a devious plot taking place that involves a strange clock in the walls that has the power to end the world. This movie was strange. I don't know if it was the strange pairing of Cate Blanchett with Jack Black, the incorrect representations of witchcraft terminologies, or the fact that this movie was clearly made for younger audiences but also has some seriously gruesome and dark tones; but this film was uncomfortable and just plain weird. I can't ignore that there are some instances of great imagery however; until Jack Black has his head edited to a baby's body.

The Ritual (I) (2017)

The Ritual (2016) A surprisingly good Netflix horror film.

[7/10 · 18 February 2019]

The Ritual (2016) follows the story of Luke who goes on a trip with his old college friends a year after the death of their friend Rob. Luke blames Rob's death on himself, as he did not help him and instead hid while Rob was being beat to death. The remaining college friends go hiking in Sweden, where they encounter an ancient demon and cult living in the woods. The film combined body horror with psychological thrills and while its no masterpiece, it accomplishes what many horror films today are lacking. It reminded me a bit of The Blair Witch Project (1999), as the two have similar concepts about people being lost in a mystical wood that is being controlled by a supernatural force. What this film accomplishes better that the previous, however, is that it talks more about the character's backstories and how it relates to the main story, and I honestly it is really hard to make a good found footage film. Anyway, The Ritual is overall actually too good for a Netflix original, and is worth a watch.

Kurzgesagt: In a Nutshell (2013– )

Kurzgesagt: In a Nutshell (2013) Honestly, the best science show.

[10/10 · 11 February 2019]

Using Youtube and animation, Kurzgesagt: In a Nutshell (2013) has accomplished what no other science show has. Did you ever wonder what life would be like on rogue planets? Or how to make an elephant explode? Neither did I until I realized how awesome these things were (not that I want to make elephants explode or anything) until I found this channel. The pacing of each episode is great, the narration fits the subjects perfectly, and using its colorful animation and scripts, it keeps you interested until the very end and wanting to find out more.

You (2018–2024)

Way to make you root for the villain.

[4 February 2019]

You (2018) is a ten-episode series that centers on a bookstore manager named Joe Goldberg who falls in love with an aspiring writer named that goes by Beck. He instantly becomes a stalker, using social media to track down Beck and keep tabs on her. He comes to the point where he starts murdering people who get in the way of his love for Beck. It's an interesting series that keeps you wanting to find out more and gives humanity to the typical stalker character in films, for better or for worse. Great writing and directing, a pleasant surprise for a Lifetime show.

Creed (II) (2015)

Same old story.

[6/10 · 21 January 2019]

Creed (2015) Tells a new chapter of the Rocky franchise while seemingly being a kind of remake. It follows Rocky Balboa, a former World Heavyweight Champion, as he battles cancer and serves as a trainer and mentor to Adonis Johnson, the son of his late friend and former rival Apollo Creed. While having some unique turns and some great direction and editing, it seems as though every Rocky related film follows the same formula that gets boring after a while. They fight, they lose, the train and fight again only to win or lose, learning some kind of important lesson and dealing with the current drama. I can see where some people might like the story, but I find it is the same old thing over and over again.

Bird Box (2018)

I can appreciate it.

[5/10 · 13 January 2019]

Bird Box (2018) was a film directed by Susanne Bier and starred Sandra Bullock as Malorie, a mother who is trying to get her two children to safety. The world is being tormented by an invisible force that drives people to kill themselves, and over the course of five years we see Malorie's struggle to survive in this apocalyptic world. The premise is interesting, and made me curious to see what happens next, but I just felt that it was unfinished somehow. The characters weren't very compelling, especially Malorie who got me angry on many occasions. I would've loved to see an explanation for what the inviable force was, even if it was hinted at, but we never really get one. The ending seemed rushed; in fact, the over all pacing was strange. Overall, I can really appreciate what they were trying to do with this film and I think some creativity defiantly went into it, but I just wasn't compelled by the characters and the story felt unfinished.

A Woman Under the Influence (1974)

A Woman Under the Influence (1974) A Sad and Strange Film

[17 September 2018]

Not many films will tell the story of a family struggling to deal with mental illness; not unless of course the person with the illness is getting ready to kill them all for dramatic affect. Its hard to show the truth of mental illness in film because the truth of it is that it's a boring subject; it's a boring story about how families and the person themselves learn to cope with something they can't change. And most of the time, nothing particularly dramatic or sinister happens since most people who have mental illness are more of a danger to themselves than others; and sometimes people are more dangerous to them. To make a successful film that shows the truth, and tell an engaging story without being insensitive is a hard task indeed. A Woman Under the Influence, it terms of showing the raw emotion and situations that lead to escalations it is successful. We follow the story of Mabel and Nick, two people trying to live in a world where everyone thinks Mabel is strange and difficult to deal with. Seemingly dealing with Borderline Personality Disorder, Mabel just wants to please her husband and children, and feel their love for her. Nick wants the same, but has to deal with Mabel's strange mannerisms and behaviors, eventually leading him to commit her. Whether or not Nick is a good person or not, is difficult to determine, as many would probably act the same way in his situation; with love, confusion, and making bad decisions as well as good ones that seem like they're bad. The best aspect of this film is the realism. Nick is not a heroic husband that fights against all odds to save his wife; he's a normal person that doesn't understand everything about mental illness. Mabel is also not portrayed with the idea to make her kooky or weird for entertainment; she does a lot of things that are just awkward, heartbreaking, and you really feel for her. As a side note, I also like how everyone in the film looks like real people. I don't see actors being dressed up pretty with stage makeup or perfect hair; everyone looks average. Some critiques of the film is the filmography itself; it was very messy, especially the editing. Sometimes it would have strange jump cuts that would confuse me and I had to put the film back to see what I missed. I also think a lot of scenes dragged on a little too much, and could have been cut a little shorter. Other than this, this film is the most accurate depiction of mental illness in film that I have seen with no Hollywood magic forced in.

Legion (2017–2019)

So, when is Professor X coming?

[21 August 2018]

Legion starts out like a strange drama about patients in a mental hospital. Our main focus is David Haller, a person with schizophrenia; the show delves deep into his psyche making the first episode strange and surreal. This trend actually continues throughout the show, albeit the plot starts to become straighter forward as time goes on. If you went into this show with no background information and no idea what it was going to be about, then the ending of the first episode would be quite a shock. We find out that David is a mutant from the X-Men universe, and that this entire show revolves around mutants and David trying to control his powers. We spend the rest of the two seasons wondering if David actually has powers or if he's just sick, or even both. The first season is the best; the characters are very likeable and you find yourself rooting for them until the end; all we want is for the characters to find happiness. As the world unravels around David and his friends, you get drown in to find out if they can truly defeat the evil Shadow King that parasites off of David. However, as season two rolls around, I found myself amazed by a few aspects, but I had a lot more criticisms as the show went on. The best aspects of season two was the reveal of the Shadow King's true self; Amahl Farouk, portrayed by Navid Negahban who proves to be an amazing actor and great choice for the sadistic psychic. Another great element is that the art direction of the first season continues; and even takes it to another level. The fight scene in the finale episode is a great example of this, and even has a great addition of being a musical number. The main issues are choices made by the writers that affect the development of many of the main leads; choices that ultimately confused me, made characters annoying for me, and even tried to play a character as a villain that is not deserving of love, which is very hard to get behind. Overall, Legion is a very interesting, unique, and amazing experience and is worth a watch, if you can get past the wacky and surreal imagery, and the hit or miss second season.

Coraline (2009)

Coraline (2009) One of Laika's best.

[20 February 2018]

Coraline is a stop-motion film done by the famous Laika studios, that aside from Box Trolls creates wonderful films with intriguing stories and amazing stop-motion effects. It is also directed by Henry Selick, the director if the Nightmare Before Christmas and is based on the book by the master of creepy and weird Neil Gaiman. Coraline is about a bratty girl who is being ignored by her work-a-holick parents and hates the new house they moved to; especially the boring and strange neighbors. However, Coraline then finds that there is a magical world behind a small door where a woman, who looks like her mother with button eyes, gives her everything she could ever want and more. As things go along, everything starts to take a turn for the worst as she discovers that the 'other mother' is not what she seems. The film has a very tightly woven story with no too fast or too slow moments, and of course is beautiful to look at. The characters are fun and well voiced, and of course the music, composed by Bruno Coulais, is atmospheric and phenomenal. I know a lot of parents complained about this film being too scary for their kids, but hey what do parents know?

Drag Me to Hell (2009)

Drag Me to Hell (2009), Strangely Entertaining

[12 February 2018]

Drag Me to Hell is a horror movie directed and written by Sam Raimi about loan officer named Christine Brown who evicts an old gypsy woman from her home, ultimately refusing to give her an extension. Seeking vengeance on her, the old woman curses Christine to be tortured by an evil spirit and eventually dragged into hell. Christine has to figure out how to lift the curse before its too late. The film at times can be very over the top, such as the scene when the old woman attacks Christine in the car. It becomes especially over the top when more disturbing scenes come up, kike gore scenes or the séance scene. However, I found myself curious to know what happens next, and invested in the main character's plight. The writing is pretty good, and the overall direction is spot on. The actors, especially the lead, carry the film very well. Overall, it was a strange experience an interesting view on paranormal horror.

The Shining (1980)

One of the Greatest Horror Classics.

[29 January 2018]

The Shining by director Stanley Kubrick is a horror masterpiece that uses atmosphere and compelling acting in order to deliver a strong thriller that terrifies and interests movie goers for years to come. The story is about the Torrence family, and strange bunch with the recovering alcoholic father Jack, the aloof mother Wendy, and awkward son Danny who has paranormal abilities. Jack is given a job of caretaker to a hotel, to which he is at first excited for so he can write his book. Over the months, Jack begins to lose his mind as Wendy and Danny experience strange and dangerous paranormal visions and experiences. This film uses a slow burn type of editing and story telling, causing the audience to feel anxious and tense as they wait to see what happens to this family. This leaves the audience with an amazing pay off when things start to take a turn for the worst. The film itself is filled with different metaphors that are left to the interpretation of the viewer, and have caused many theories since its release. While Stephen King might not enjoy the film adaption of his book, I feel that Kubrick really adds a certain dimension to the story that wasn't present in the novel, and gives an intriguing horror story that delves into the depths of the human mind, and what we're capable of doing if the situation calls for it.

Shaun of the Dead (2004)

Black comedy and Zombies

[21 January 2018]

Shaun of the Dead was a comedy film that included elements of comedy and horror. It followed two friends that were trying to get to a pub for shelter from a zombie apocalypse. One of the friends, Shaun, wants to also get his ex-girlfriend to join them in the pub. Through misfortune and laughs, the two friends fight through the zombie outbreak as well as dealing with issues of love, family, and of course friendship. It used a lot fast-paced editing and was very gory. It was quite funny and I found myself laughing often. I can't really stomach gore very well, but I was still able to watch this fine.

Jaws (1975)

A thrilling classic

[14 January 2018]

Jaws is a film by Steven Spielberg that follows the story of a marine biologist, a sheriff, and a shark hunter that try and capture a man-eating shark that is terrorizing a beach town. The film is full of thrilling scenes and explosive action that kept me interested in what was going to happen next. The characters are also fairly well written, and have a very human feel to them instead of being typical horror or action film leads that don't have much development. The scenes where we see through the shark's eyes are especially scary, and the scenes where we just see people being dragged under or flailing about without us seeing the shark are intense.

Master of None: Parents (2015) Season 1, Episode 2

Immigrant Parents are awesome.

[28 December 2017]

In the show Masters of none, we follow the life of Dev, a professional actor who is trying to survive daily life. In episode two, titled "parents", Dev and Brian try to appreciate their immigrant parents by throwing them a nice dinner. Through disagreements and emotional stories, we learn to appreciate those who have come from different countries to start a life in America, to not be welcomed with open arms but still making it through. This very much reminds me of my own mother, who was a Greek immigrant and came here with no money and two kids only to be faced with discrimination and misunderstandings. I recommend this show to anyone who has immigrant parents and understands the journey.

About a Boy (2002)

A film that shows the good even in not so good people.

[28 December 2017]

In the film About a Boy, Will is a rich man that invents a son to meet women in a support group for single parents. After a series of events that leads him to get close to a young boy named Marcus, Will starts to mature an instead wants to take care of him and have a mature relationship with a business woman. Will is an unlikable character that becomes more likable as the film goes on, through trials that test his loyalty to the people who matter the most. The film seems to be more of a character piece, as the writing concentrates more on Will's development than anything else. Its still a good film regardless and I would recommend it.

Meet the Parents (2000)

Meet the Parents is a funny movie with heart.

[28 December 2017]

Meet the parents is a movie about a male nurse named Greg Focker who wants to propose to his girlfriend. He won't do it until he gets her father's blessing however, and this proves to be difficult. Jack is an ex-CIA agent who dislikes Greg's career choice and religion, so he makes it very difficult for Greg to impress him. Through a while film of mishaps and misunderstandings, this movie uses dark comedy, comedic timing, and some emotional parts that create a great film that tells you to except yourself even if someone else doesn't.

The Apartment (1960)

The Apartment - A charming classic film.

[8/10 · 24 December 2017]

C.C Baxter, called "Buddy Boy" by his terrible mangers, is a lonely office worker who in order to climb up the corporate ladder allows said managers to take turns borrowing his apartment for their various adulterous liaisons. He eventually meets Fran, and through a series of comedic misunderstandings and events, they start a blooming romance. This film a funny treat that I would recommend to anyone. The writing is well done and tightly paced with some interesting twists and turns.

Coco (I) (2017)

Coco (2017) Heartfelt and Entertaining

[26 November 2017]

Besides Finding Nemo and A Bug's Life, I've never really been a fan of Pixar. While I always appreciate the work and creativity that goes into every Pixar film and praise them for the messages they put across, I usually find their films boring and typically don't watch them more than once. When I went to see Coco, I was more interested in seeing Disney's Olaf's Frozen Adventure for some Christmas fluff and thought that Coco was just going just as dull as Inside Out was. However, I was not only pleasantly surprised, but Coco has reached Finding Nemo and a Bug's Life levels for me. Coco praises the idea of family, music, and is filled with beautiful animation and many tearful and intense moments that put you on the edge of your seat. The music is also the music is spectacular, and as great talent behind them.

I went to the theater thinking that I was going to see a great short and a decent film, but instead I got a great short and a fantastic film.

Zootopia (2016)

Zootopia (2016) Unexpectedly Amazing.

[19 November 2017]

When 2016 came around, everyone was excited for Disney's Moana. It was supposed to be the next Frozen, critically acclaimed, winning a ton of awards, and being beloved by everyone. Nobody really cared for the other film coming out first, Zootopia, and many thought it was a joke. Surprisingly, while Moana only received a lukewarm reception, Zootopia became a worldwide sensation, coming very close to Frozen. Zootopia is a wonderful film that tells the story of a young rabbit named Judy Hopps as she tries to solve a serious chase that could mean the end of her career as a cop. With a fast talking fox named Nick Wilde, Judy uncovers a dark secret that could change her world as she knows it. The setup seems silly at first, but the film delivers with strong characters and a meaningful plot that puts forth a discussion about prejudice, and what we can do to change this attitude. Zootopia easily stole the show away from Moana, and is a film that should be cherished.

The Darkness (I) (2016)

The Darkness (2016) Same story over and over.

[12 November 2017]

When I saw the darkness, I felt like I needed to take out a ghost movie checklist and start listing everything I had seen before. Weird or Special needs child who communicates with the spirits? Check. Annoying, angry teenager that adds nothing to the plot? Check. Father with fidelity problems that doesn't believe in the spirits at first? Check. Mother with alcohol problems that seems crazy to everyone else? Check. The Darkness follows a strict character and story design and doesn't try to add anything unique or interesting. The movie is also terribly fast paced and tries to throw way too much in one sitting that everything just seems squished together and has no emotional impact. There are no real scares or thrills, only non-impactful jump scares that fall flat. The sad thing is that we have very good acting talent in this film, but the writing, directing, and editing is done so badly that the acting looks terrible.