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The Covenant (2006)
The Covenant (2006)
2006 | Horror, Mystery
I could watch this on infinite loop until I'm dead
I've watched this movie twice in as many days because it is the kind of bad that is wonderful. I don't know how I missed this one as a teenager, as everything involving witchcraft was interesting to me then. Think of The Covenant as a spiritual successor to The Craft, but with boys. And there are boys. This movie is one fuzzy sex scene away from being a David DeCoteau film. Notable features are an all male shower scene filled with foggy butts, Sebastian Stan (who's nineteen or twenty years old here) stumbling over a line regarding another kid's penis (after being called a homosexual slur) and, last but not least, the line, "I'm going to make you my weyotch." It's a gem.

The plot is blah, the music is alright, and it has the mid-noughts "blue and orange" filter--but that's not why you're watching this movie. You're watching it because the actors are hot, there's not-so subtle gay subtext (though if Sebastian Stan's character kisses another guy, is it really subtext?), and latent homoeroticism. The whole stinkin' thing could be an allegory for homosexuality, but really, I don't think anyone was thinking that far ahead.

Also, there's a character named Pogue Perry. Pogue. As in, rhymes with "vogue." My boyfriend couldn't stop laughing, and he was only half watching it to humor me.
  
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JT (287 KP) rated The Guest (2014) in Movies

Mar 10, 2020  
The Guest (2014)
The Guest (2014)
2014 | Horror, Mystery, Thriller
If there was any further indication needed that British leading men make for accomplished villains, this is a prime example. The softly spoken Dan Stevens (Downton Abbey) can now walk shoulder to shoulder with the likes of other talented antagonists such as Mark Strong, Tom Hiddleston and Ben Kingsley.

Director Adam Wingard‘s home invasion horror You’re Next received high acclaim so this was always going to be an exciting follow up. When I caught the trailer not a lot was given away. I like the fact that you’re going in almost blind. It makes for better viewing.

David (Stevens) enters the life of the Peterson family who are still grieving from the loss of their son Caleb who was killed in Iraq. Quickly he becomes an integral part of their lives, always around to help them out of difficult situations or as a shoulder to cry on.

It’s clear there is something more disturbing beneath his chilling blue eyes and it doesn’t take long for us to find out what. The Guest is a tense intriguing thriller that never gives too much away, making it one of its strong points. We all know there is something wrong with David, that much is clear from the shots of him grimly staring into the distance.

He manifests himself as a psychotic guardian angel with ulterior motives that are never revealed until the bodies start to pile up and we get to delve further into his back story. Even then Stevens plays his character with deadpan charm that makes us like him even more.

There are a number of genres all thrown in that ultimately work well alongside each other. A nice dose of action thanks to a backyard shootout is quickly morphed into an 80s slasher horror that echoes Halloween. The soundtrack is slick and pulsating, with comparisons drawn to Drive not just from the score but from Stevens somewhat uncanny resemblance to Ryan Gosling.

It never feels disjointed at any point and while it might wobble a little with the surprise ending (of which you knew was coming) it doesn’t damage the overall integrity if the story.
  
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Matthew Krueger (10051 KP) Mar 11, 2020

One of my all time favorite psychological horror films.

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JT (287 KP) Mar 11, 2020

Goes from thriller to 80s slasher flick almost seamlessly

The Raven Boys
The Raven Boys
Maggie Stiefvater | 2012 | Paranormal, Science Fiction/Fantasy, Young Adult (YA)
6
7.8 (36 Ratings)
Book Rating
I don't really like <i>The Raven Boys</i>. I don't really see the "why" in the hype, and I feel completely indifferent towards everything Maggie Stiefvater offered in this first book of the series.

Or maybe, just maybe, like some books, Stiefvater just had the unfortunate timing to be listened to when I'm not exactly in the mood to read.

It's also when I pull off a really cheap Sophia move. Behold – the list of whatnots about <i>The Raven Boys</i>, or just a summary of my thoughts in the process of listening to Will Patton reading this.
<ol>
  <li>Blue has always been warned that if she kiss her true love, she'll cause her true love to die. Sadistic as it is, I like that concept. I <em>really</em> like that concept.</li>
  <li>It's official: I like it when audiobooks have music.</li>
  <li>What kind of name is Blue? I'm a little perplexed, but since it's unique, I'll let it go.</li>
  <li>Gansey seemed far too absorbed in the ley line for a good part of the book – he's as bad as David, I'll tell you that right now (just without the whole metaphors thing).</li>
  <li>In sync with number four, I don't get the entire point of <em>why</em> they're looking for this watchamawho of a Welsh King. I mean, I probably do, but...</li>
  <li>Cringe-worthy as it sounded, I secretly liked that whole, "I... I'm... I'm very young." part.</li>
  <li>Why are The Raven Boys called "The Raven Boys?" I'm not sure I caught that. Do they have an obsession with ravens? Is it really because of that pet raven Ronan has (I assume)? Who's willing to tell me this?</li>
  <li>I don't really understand that cliffhanger. I know <em>who</em> Stiefvater is talking about, but I don't <em>understand</em>.</li>
</ol>
<b>Fun fact:</b> Will Patton reads the audiobooks for the entire series (from what I've seen). YAY! That doesn't mean I like him, but it's consistency. I applaud consistency.

And the final question: Should I continue reading the series? (Lupe: NO. READ SILVER SHADOWS FIRST. &gt;_&lt;)

<a href="https://bookwyrmingthoughts.com/audiobook-review-the-raven-boys-by-maggie-stiefvater/"; target="_blank">This review was originally posted on Bookwyrming Thoughts</a>
  
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Otway93 (567 KP) rated When the Wind Blows (1986) in Movies

Dec 28, 2019 (Updated Dec 28, 2019)  
When the Wind Blows (1986)
When the Wind Blows (1986)
1986 | Animation, Drama
10
6.5 (2 Ratings)
Movie Rating
Plot (3 more)
Animation
Soundtrack
Voice acting
A terrifying yet emotional masterpiece.
Contains spoilers, click to show
After many years of wanting to see this film, and building up my expectations, today I finally saw it, and was far from disappointed.

This Raymond Briggs' feature length animation tells the tale of an elderly couple (voiced by Sir John Mills and Dane Peggy Ashcroft) in the country trying to survive in the aftermath of a nuclear strike, with only the real life UK nuclear survival pamphlet "Protect and Survive" to help them.

This film is not for the faint of heart, and realistically should probably not have a PG rating, as the couples experiences with radiation sickness are rather graphic and are more than likely to upset younger audiences (it upset me, and I'm 26!).

The animation is beautiful, as it is with every Raymond Briggs' film, but with a difference as it does often mix stop-motion and classic animation to make something quite haunting and very special, with other "special sequences" reminiscent of Pink Floyd's The Wall.

And last but not least: the soundtrack. With a title track performed by David Bowie, you already know it's going to be good. But the score (written by Roger Waters of Pink Floyd) is also incredible, yet again very reminiscent of Pink Floyd's "Goodbye Blue Sky"...again from "The Wall". With additional music by Squeeze, Paul Hardcastle and Hugh Cornwell, this makes it a pleasure to listen to.

Overall, an aural, visual and emotional rollercoaster, but not for the faint hearted.

Remember those last few words, not for the faint hearted!