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nathanielcmetz
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Malignant (2021)
People walked out of the theater because they were so disapointed
This film was very disappointing to me, and I think part of that is related to how it was advertised and how it was hyped up.
Given that it was meant to be a love letter to Italian horror movies, I went in expecting something akin to the stylistically overwhelming cinematography of Dario Argento and the boldness of commitment to vision from Fulci. Technology has developed a lot since the 70s-80s, and I was hoping Wan to take the experimental nature of the Italian legacy and shoot it into the stratosphere. One scene did actually manage to capture that. The scene where the protagonist is running through her house, and we can peer through the ceiling to see her running through the different rooms was one of the most fascinating use of the God's eye view that I've ever seen. But that was only memorable shot in the film (in my opinion). Instead, I felt like this movie was more of a mashup between Aquaman and The Conjuring, with dialogue and acting capability lifted from a Hallmark movie.
Perhaps if you go into the film looking for a campy romp full of tonal inconsistency, then you will have a good time. I imagine that this film will develop a cult following in times to come, which is fine. Cult films are fun, and hopefully I will have changed enough to appreciate that.
Normally, I love campy films. And I feel like if this film were more committed to its camp quality and marketed/hyped as such, then I would have perhaps enjoyed it more. But I found the tone and mood of the film to be all over the place. At times, it was deadly serious, dealing with incredibly dark themes of miscarriage and spousal abuse. Other times, it was an over-the-top romp with cheesy choreography and ridiculous/repugnant creature design. Of course, sometimes camp and seriousness can be blended together well, and others might enjoy how it was executed in this film, but I did not think it worked. It felt like a school group project, where each student worked independently of the other, and then mashed it together for a final presentation right before class.
The visuals were unimpressive except for a scene or two. If you've seen the Conjuring, you've seen this cinematography.
The musical score was perhaps my least favorite aspect of the film. The music would often ruin scenes for me because it would not match the tone of what was happening in the scene. You'd have a brutal murder scene with the classic Wanian suspense, but then it would be abruptly followed by what sounds like a store-brand-version of "Where is My Mind?" by The Pixies. This would pull me out of the film in a way that did not come across as a deliberate artistic decision, and so watching the film would get frustrating because I couldn't hang onto the atmosphere, but it also did not feel as if it was deliberately disrupting the atmosphere in a way that enhanced the film or challenged artistic sensibilities in a well-crafted manner.
I thought the "twist" at the end was completely unoriginal and totally predictable. I'm pretty sure the exact "twist" of the film is taken from a George A. Romero movie in the 90s (not going to say which one because I don't want to spoil it).
There was A LOT of flashback in this movie in which the characters watched VHS tapes of their childhood and such. I thought they relied too much on that as a story-telling device, and this also eliminated the possibility of spectacular visual cinematography of which Wan is capable.
The dialogue was also excruciating. Imagine that "Rey...Rey Skywalker" moment from "The Rise of Skywalker" but stretched out over an entire film. In many ways, actually, I think "Malignant" and "The Rise of Skywalker" are quite similar in their bizarre atonality and feeling like hodgepodge.
When I saw it in the theater, several people walked out of the film because they thought it was so ridiculous. I've never before witness people get to a point where they were openly mocking the film and even sarcastically clapping at certain points.
I do not think that this is an objectively well-crafted film, which was very disappointing me. I thought it had the potential to revolutionize horror cinematography, but it seems we'll have to wait for another day.
However, I can imagine that if you go into this film looking for something ridiculous, then you might very well enjoy it, and that's great. Some other positive reviews on here have expressed that opinion, and I think it's a valid perspective. Since I like campy terrible films so much, I might come around to enjoying this movie later on, so hopefully time will change my all-too-high expectations.
The Night House (2020)
Atmospheric, eerie, spectacular
I love horror films. It is my favorite genre and one of my deepest passions. Personally, I found this to be one of the scariest horror films I've seen. The tension, atmosphere, and sound design is unexpected and eerie, serving as a refreshing deviation from the kinds of Conjuring-esque jumpscares that have become formulaic in the past decade (no disrespect to the Conjuring, but there have been a lot of imitators and sequels that perpetuate the same jumpscare formula)
The thing I loved most about the film was the creative use of architecture and space to create horror. In this sense, it feels like an intensification of the 'spatial horror' seen in The Shining and some Argento films. It's a great use of the medium of film combined with architecture, which is used skillfully to accentuate the themes of 'nothingness' within the narrative.
I won't give away plot spoilers because I think it's something to simply experience, but I will provide a quote from Karl Barth that, at least in my initial interpretation, decently captures the theme of the film. (Don't worry. The reference to the Devil is not a spoiler).
"[...] the infinite menace of nothingness that is opposed to God himself. It is the menace that, for the creatures, carries with it not only a passing danger, a destruction of secondary importance, a momentary corruption, but total fall, ultimate extinction. [...] In it there is nothing good, nothing that can be of any use to us. [...] It is without hope. There is an intolerable, unendurable evil that in no way competes with the good. This threat exists; it manifests its presence. [...] This absolute evil imposes itself upon creation in the form that we all recognize, namely, sin and death. It appears in the illegitimate dominion, incomprehensible and inexplicable, of the one whom the Scriptures call the Devil." (Barth, Prayer, 60)
Into the Dark: Pooka Lives! (2020)
Great step in the right direction for horror
This is definitely a fun and entertaining film. It has a good premise accompanied by a strong character (Pooka). The effects are solid, and the cinematography is enjoyable (especially the beautiful lighting effects).
Admittedly, killer toys is one of my favorite horror sub-genres, so I'm rather partial. Nonetheless, I think this is a great step in the right direction for horror films. The writers found a creative way to integrate a classic 'killer toy' genre into the contemporary society (e.g., our technology and social media practices). Using new technology and the internet felt perfectly natural.
We currently live in a retro-driven nostalgia culture. Now, I'm admittedly a fan of all the retro fan fare, and it's produced some great material (e.g., Stranger Things, IT: Chapter 1). Nonetheless, I also desire for the horror genre to push beyond nostalgic regurgitation and bring new ideas into play. I thought this film is a solid example how horror can make good content without having to reach into the past.
If you like this film, you might also like the new Child's Play remake (2019) and vice versa.
Ghosts of Mars (2001)
Great Cheesy Fun
I don't understand why the rating for this movie is so low. I just watched it for the first time, and I had a blast.
That being said, there were some problems. This is not a perfect film. The acting is mostly sub-par (in some cases, quite pitiful). Furthermore, some of the cinematography was lacking. I hate to say that about Carpenter -- who is one of my favorite directors. Nonetheless, I felt like close-up shots were way over-used, to the point where its quality suffered.
However, I don't think that detracts from how much fun this movie is. Get ready for flashbacks within flashbacks within flashbacks. It's kind of disorienting, but that adds to the psychotronic aesthetic of the film. It's kind of dreamlike in that way. The rugged Mars colony sets are pretty cool. The action sequences are awesome. I also loved the monsters in the film -- pretty creative, and rather scary given how difficult they are to kill. It definitely makes the stakes higher. The soundtrack is also super dope. It's definitely a product of its time (early 2000s), but I don't that's a bad thing at all.
Imagine this film as a B-grade, psychotronic, sci-fi horror film that was inspired by "Assault on Precinct 13," and you will probably have the right mindset going in. It's definitely not a masterpiece like some of Carpenter's other films, but it's still a super fun watch.
Hedwig and the Angry Inch (2001)
I've never been more happily surprised by a movie
I was expecting a low-brow, film littered with immature and insensitive jokes. Instead, I got a heart-felt punk rock anthem with a genius depth of artistic imagery and permeated with love and respect. John Cameron Mitchell's performance is brilliant, and the soundtrack is killer. I'm overjoyed by how good this movie was. Highly recommend.
The Banana Splits Movie (2019)
A near perfect film (if this is your style)
I love wacky, B-grade horror movies. This film is probably one of my new favorites. It's stupid in the most perfect of ways. It's wacky and never takes itself too seriously. This is the kind of cult-movie gem that doesn't come around enough anymore.
But from a serious, high-brow perspective, the 'aesthetic world' of this film is actually quite beautiful. The artistry of the set design is steller. The color pallet is also a new personal favorite, taking heavy influence from late-60s fashion. So from a visual perspective, this movie was a lot of fun to look at -- especially considering that many B-grade movies aren't high quality in the aesthetics departement.
The Animals of Farthing Wood (1993)
Do not recommend for young children. Parents, please screen this for your kids.
I watched this show accidently as a child, and I found the animals killings and deaths deeply disturbing. In fact, as an adult, I still find them disturbing.
Personally, I abhor this show. Others may like it. Nonetheless, if you are thinking about showing this to your kids, I STRONGLY recommend that you screen it first and make sure your kids won't be upset.