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JT (287 KP) rated Escape Room (2019) in Movies
Mar 10, 2020
Escape rooms are all the rage at the moment. The premise is simple, a group of people are trapped inside a confined space full of clues and puzzles in order to find a way out – so it was only a matter of time before the horror genre got hold of it.
There have been a few incantations of this new age idea already; Escape Room (2017) & No Escape Room, but this one is probably the best of a bad bunch.
Six strangers each receive a cryptic puzzle box, which once opened invites them to compete for a $10,000 prize – if they can get through a series of deviously constructed rooms. The group comes from all walks of life, a gifted maths student, an Iraq War vet a blue collar trucker to name a few, each with a seemingly interconnected past.
After a frantic flash-forward where we see someone coming unstuck in one of the rooms, we are introduced to each of the characters one by one. There isn’t enough time to go into massive details, so it feels like we only scratch the surface as to what makes them tick.
Meeting in a plush reception area the game begins – although none of them realise it at first. The room starts to get hot and they soon discover that they are about to get burnt alive – unless they can work out the clues to escape.
The group quickly realise that they will have to work together in order to survive.
Aside from getting burnt alive they also face a winter themed room where the ice cracks beneath them, an upside down bar where the floor drops away and a hallucinogenic trip fest which is extremely freaky to watch.
During proceedings, in which there is a lot of infighting and panic, you half expect Billy the Puppet to come peddling out on his tricycle and explain the next part of the game. There are definite similarities to Saw, people are in a race against time before they ultimately meet a grizzly end, but because many people have experienced this style of entertainment before the reality is unnerving.
While the gore doesn’t reach Saw levels it provides enough tension, but it then starts to tail off a little towards the end. The conclusion is far too predictable although there is just enough intrigue to see what they will conjure up next.
There have been a few incantations of this new age idea already; Escape Room (2017) & No Escape Room, but this one is probably the best of a bad bunch.
Six strangers each receive a cryptic puzzle box, which once opened invites them to compete for a $10,000 prize – if they can get through a series of deviously constructed rooms. The group comes from all walks of life, a gifted maths student, an Iraq War vet a blue collar trucker to name a few, each with a seemingly interconnected past.
After a frantic flash-forward where we see someone coming unstuck in one of the rooms, we are introduced to each of the characters one by one. There isn’t enough time to go into massive details, so it feels like we only scratch the surface as to what makes them tick.
Meeting in a plush reception area the game begins – although none of them realise it at first. The room starts to get hot and they soon discover that they are about to get burnt alive – unless they can work out the clues to escape.
The group quickly realise that they will have to work together in order to survive.
Aside from getting burnt alive they also face a winter themed room where the ice cracks beneath them, an upside down bar where the floor drops away and a hallucinogenic trip fest which is extremely freaky to watch.
During proceedings, in which there is a lot of infighting and panic, you half expect Billy the Puppet to come peddling out on his tricycle and explain the next part of the game. There are definite similarities to Saw, people are in a race against time before they ultimately meet a grizzly end, but because many people have experienced this style of entertainment before the reality is unnerving.
While the gore doesn’t reach Saw levels it provides enough tension, but it then starts to tail off a little towards the end. The conclusion is far too predictable although there is just enough intrigue to see what they will conjure up next.
Under the Big Black Sun: A Personal History of L.A. Punk
John Doe and Tom DeSavia
Book
Under the Big Black Sun explores the nascent Los Angeles punk rock movement and its evolution to...
It's a Myth by Sneaks
Album Watch
It's a Myth is Sneaks' 2nd album. With little more than a bass, drum machine, and deadpan vocals,...
Beowulf: A Translation and Commentary, Together with Sellic Spell
J.R.R. Tolkien and Christopher Tolkien
Book
The translation of Beowulf by J.R.R. Tolkien was an early work, very distinctive in its mode,...
ClareR (6062 KP) rated Call Me Mummy in Books
Feb 19, 2021
Call Me Mummy had me on tenterhooks from the first page. I don’t think I’ve been this emotionally invested in a book for a while. I read it on The Pigeonhole app, so it was serialised over 10 days - and the wait for each stave seemed interminable! Thank goodness I read it during the half term holidays so that I could get stuck in every morning!
Mummy abducts five year old Tonya from a supermarket when her mother, Kim, is preoccupied on er phone. Kim, in Mummy’s eyes is not the epitome of outstanding motherhood. In fact to Mummy, she’s the exact opposite: poor, working class, eternally pregnant, children from different fathers - common. So in Mummy’s mind, she’s rescuing Tonya from a life of want and neglect.
Except there are two sides to this story. Whilst Kim may have had a terrible upbringing and a bad start in life, she loves her daughter fiercely and in the months that follow, the loss of her daughter nearly breaks her.
To be honest, Mummy is hardly a leading example of motherhood. She’s mentally unstable, has also had a devastating childhood and drinks to excess. Not the best idea when you hardly eat anything.
Interspersed with short chapters alternating between Mummy and Kim, are the glimpses into the murky world of social media, where the terrible judgements would be terrible for Kim to read - if she read them, that is. But Kim takes a rather defensive view of herself and her family. She won’t play nice to the media or her community. But we as the reader get to see what’s going on in Kim’s head, and frankly, it broke my heart. Prepare yourself for that, by the way, because this book will have you swinging manically between heartbreak (fro Kim and Tonya) and murderous rage (for Mummy).
I’m not going to say any more. You’ll just have to read this book. I loved it, and the ending was perfect - my favourite kind of ending, in fact!
Thanks to Pigeonhole for serialising this, and so much thanks to Tina Baker for joining in with her comments and interactions with us Pigeonholers in the margins! I think I’m safe in saying that we all had the best time reading this!
Mummy abducts five year old Tonya from a supermarket when her mother, Kim, is preoccupied on er phone. Kim, in Mummy’s eyes is not the epitome of outstanding motherhood. In fact to Mummy, she’s the exact opposite: poor, working class, eternally pregnant, children from different fathers - common. So in Mummy’s mind, she’s rescuing Tonya from a life of want and neglect.
Except there are two sides to this story. Whilst Kim may have had a terrible upbringing and a bad start in life, she loves her daughter fiercely and in the months that follow, the loss of her daughter nearly breaks her.
To be honest, Mummy is hardly a leading example of motherhood. She’s mentally unstable, has also had a devastating childhood and drinks to excess. Not the best idea when you hardly eat anything.
Interspersed with short chapters alternating between Mummy and Kim, are the glimpses into the murky world of social media, where the terrible judgements would be terrible for Kim to read - if she read them, that is. But Kim takes a rather defensive view of herself and her family. She won’t play nice to the media or her community. But we as the reader get to see what’s going on in Kim’s head, and frankly, it broke my heart. Prepare yourself for that, by the way, because this book will have you swinging manically between heartbreak (fro Kim and Tonya) and murderous rage (for Mummy).
I’m not going to say any more. You’ll just have to read this book. I loved it, and the ending was perfect - my favourite kind of ending, in fact!
Thanks to Pigeonhole for serialising this, and so much thanks to Tina Baker for joining in with her comments and interactions with us Pigeonholers in the margins! I think I’m safe in saying that we all had the best time reading this!
Emma @ The Movies (1786 KP) rated Willy's Wonderland (2021) in Movies
Jul 18, 2021
Oh come on... you know I'm watching Nic Cage go full rage at some killer robots!
A stranger runs into bad luck as he nears a small town in the middle of nowhere. Luckily a local mechanic comes across him stranded and offers him assistance. But the bad luck isn't over. With no way to pay for his new tyres, he has to agree to some light cleaning work in the abandoned town attraction. What could possibly go wrong when you're locked in a family restaurant overnight with some large, menacing looking, animatronics?
What's not to love about this particular breed of film? Horror that is so over the top with daftness and unintentional/intentional humour really does hit the spot.
Is this storyline sensible? Absolutely not. If you pick at any thread this will very quickly fall apart... but we're here for the nonsense. You don't come to a Nic Cage film these days for anything else. And much like shark films, I have an independent scoring system to deem the quality of his offerings.
The dynamics between all of the characters is hilarious. Cage with... everyone... is stranger (as expected), and the others all have stereotypical elements to them that bounce back and forth well. Though none of them are quite as obvious as you'd see in spoof horrors though. Beth Grant is always fun to have in things, and she's got the sinister thing down quite well, definitely a great pick for this role.
Our animatronic actors have the perfect creepy movements, combine this with the oversized costumes and the somewhat magical elements to their activities, and you get some fantastic nightmare fuel.
Though I have to query who designed such a terrible layout for a family restaurant, I can't help but marvel at all the different rooms scattered around the building. A fantastic maze of terror waiting for anyone who enters, and each one with its retro-ramshackle look is a delight to see. Throw in the oversized entertainment and the look is great.
At just 88 minutes in length it's a nice easy watch, and you'll definitely have enough to keep you... intrigued? I found myself shouting at the screen with "why", "how" and "what" type questions, and that just added to my enjoyment. A masterpiece.
Originally posted on: https://emmaatthemovies.blogspot.com/2021/07/willys-wonderland-movie-review.html
A stranger runs into bad luck as he nears a small town in the middle of nowhere. Luckily a local mechanic comes across him stranded and offers him assistance. But the bad luck isn't over. With no way to pay for his new tyres, he has to agree to some light cleaning work in the abandoned town attraction. What could possibly go wrong when you're locked in a family restaurant overnight with some large, menacing looking, animatronics?
What's not to love about this particular breed of film? Horror that is so over the top with daftness and unintentional/intentional humour really does hit the spot.
Is this storyline sensible? Absolutely not. If you pick at any thread this will very quickly fall apart... but we're here for the nonsense. You don't come to a Nic Cage film these days for anything else. And much like shark films, I have an independent scoring system to deem the quality of his offerings.
The dynamics between all of the characters is hilarious. Cage with... everyone... is stranger (as expected), and the others all have stereotypical elements to them that bounce back and forth well. Though none of them are quite as obvious as you'd see in spoof horrors though. Beth Grant is always fun to have in things, and she's got the sinister thing down quite well, definitely a great pick for this role.
Our animatronic actors have the perfect creepy movements, combine this with the oversized costumes and the somewhat magical elements to their activities, and you get some fantastic nightmare fuel.
Though I have to query who designed such a terrible layout for a family restaurant, I can't help but marvel at all the different rooms scattered around the building. A fantastic maze of terror waiting for anyone who enters, and each one with its retro-ramshackle look is a delight to see. Throw in the oversized entertainment and the look is great.
At just 88 minutes in length it's a nice easy watch, and you'll definitely have enough to keep you... intrigued? I found myself shouting at the screen with "why", "how" and "what" type questions, and that just added to my enjoyment. A masterpiece.
Originally posted on: https://emmaatthemovies.blogspot.com/2021/07/willys-wonderland-movie-review.html
Andy K (10823 KP) rated Bride of Frankenstein (1935) in Movies
Sep 25, 2019
She's alive!
I am trying to remember the last film I saw where the title character doesn't appear until the last 10 minutes? I don't think I can. In Superman, you don't see Christopher Reeve for the first hour, in Aliens you don't see any full grown Aliens until an hour in. Can you think of any others?
The 2nd Frankenstein film is certainly a continuation as it starts right when the last film ends. The monster is presumed dead, during the windmill fire. He is eventually found, chained and hauled off to prison. He escapes and then wanders the countryside encountering a friendly bling man. Unknowing the hideous nature of his new friend, he invites the monster in to eat, drink and smoke. The monster begins to actually act civilized for a bit even spurting out his first words and smiling. This is short-lived as he is again located and flees.
Meanwhile, Dr. Frankenstein is still recovering himself when he meets Doctor Pretorius, an even more wacky scientist bent on creating his own abomination. Frankenstein has had a change of mind and heart about his monster and wants it to be destroyed. Pretorius kidnaps Frankenstein's new wife and blackmails him into helping with the new project.
Eventual success brings us the Bride of Frankenstein!
Karloff continues his stellar performance as the monster, this time giving him humanity, humor and benevolence in addition to the usual rage. You see his loneliness and wanting to belong with no one who gazes upon him ever giving him a chance to have a personality.
The look of the film also has a starring role including the vast depth of the Frankenstein home which seems to go on forever and again showcased in glorious black and white. The majesty of the outdoor landscapes are also beautiful and really assist the audience in merging with its storytelling beautifully.
I did find is strange they introduced the bride so late in the film. She doesn't really have much to do other than get introduced to her new groom and make a few grunting noises. I am assuming she will play a bigger role in Son of Frankenstein which is up next!
The 2nd Frankenstein film is certainly a continuation as it starts right when the last film ends. The monster is presumed dead, during the windmill fire. He is eventually found, chained and hauled off to prison. He escapes and then wanders the countryside encountering a friendly bling man. Unknowing the hideous nature of his new friend, he invites the monster in to eat, drink and smoke. The monster begins to actually act civilized for a bit even spurting out his first words and smiling. This is short-lived as he is again located and flees.
Meanwhile, Dr. Frankenstein is still recovering himself when he meets Doctor Pretorius, an even more wacky scientist bent on creating his own abomination. Frankenstein has had a change of mind and heart about his monster and wants it to be destroyed. Pretorius kidnaps Frankenstein's new wife and blackmails him into helping with the new project.
Eventual success brings us the Bride of Frankenstein!
Karloff continues his stellar performance as the monster, this time giving him humanity, humor and benevolence in addition to the usual rage. You see his loneliness and wanting to belong with no one who gazes upon him ever giving him a chance to have a personality.
The look of the film also has a starring role including the vast depth of the Frankenstein home which seems to go on forever and again showcased in glorious black and white. The majesty of the outdoor landscapes are also beautiful and really assist the audience in merging with its storytelling beautifully.
I did find is strange they introduced the bride so late in the film. She doesn't really have much to do other than get introduced to her new groom and make a few grunting noises. I am assuming she will play a bigger role in Son of Frankenstein which is up next!
Combo Crew
Games and Entertainment
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Jamie (131 KP) rated Dead by Daylight in Video Games
Jul 15, 2017
Genuinely fun & thrilling (2 more)
Survive with Friends & Kill Your Friends modes are both fun
Steep learning curve that rewards skilled players
Riddled with bugs and easily exploited (2 more)
Toxic community
Useless ranking system
Fun horror themed multiplayer action
It's been almost a year since DBD was first released and for me it's been a year of both joy and frustration. I love the game, it's still one of my favorites, and it's an absolute blast to play with friends. The developers have made signifcant progress since launch in terms of fixing bugs, rebalancing mechanics, and adding content both to keep the game fresh but also to improve the quality of life for both survivors and killers. When I first started it was genuinely tense until I got used to the game, and the Halloween update last year brought back the old scares at least for a little while even for relatively seasoned players. It's nice to see that the dev team is still actively working on the game.
With that said, while I recommend this game I do so cautiously. On release the game was riddled with bugs and had serious issues with the queue system, and while some of the issues with both of those things have been fixed there are still some glaring problems that don't seem to have any easy fixes. The game can be easy to abuse and there have been problems in the past with cheaters and bots (thankfully not so much anymore). Game lobbies are peer to peer which means that survivors will be at the mercy of the other person's internet connection. There is a ranking system that means next to nothing as there are no end of season rewards, just a steam achievement and bragging rights.
Add in the fact that this game is extremely competitive, you'll pretty regularly run into some salty people. You get killers that camp, survivors that abuse infinites, and on occasion the random angry messages and trash talk on steam. A good number of the folks I used to play with ended up rage quitting for one reason or another, so this game can have that effect on folks.
Overall though, I still enjoy DBD on occasion, I like to see the new stuff that gets added or fixed. While the bugs, occasional long queue times, and lag can be extremely frustrating at times I feel that the good outweighs the bad. As long as you don't take it too seriously and just have fun it can be a really enjoyable, especially with the right people.
With that said, while I recommend this game I do so cautiously. On release the game was riddled with bugs and had serious issues with the queue system, and while some of the issues with both of those things have been fixed there are still some glaring problems that don't seem to have any easy fixes. The game can be easy to abuse and there have been problems in the past with cheaters and bots (thankfully not so much anymore). Game lobbies are peer to peer which means that survivors will be at the mercy of the other person's internet connection. There is a ranking system that means next to nothing as there are no end of season rewards, just a steam achievement and bragging rights.
Add in the fact that this game is extremely competitive, you'll pretty regularly run into some salty people. You get killers that camp, survivors that abuse infinites, and on occasion the random angry messages and trash talk on steam. A good number of the folks I used to play with ended up rage quitting for one reason or another, so this game can have that effect on folks.
Overall though, I still enjoy DBD on occasion, I like to see the new stuff that gets added or fixed. While the bugs, occasional long queue times, and lag can be extremely frustrating at times I feel that the good outweighs the bad. As long as you don't take it too seriously and just have fun it can be a really enjoyable, especially with the right people.