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Sarah (7800 KP) rated The House with a Clock in Its Walls (2018) in Movies
Oct 3, 2018
Could've been so much more
I knew relatively nothing about this film but having been impressed by the recent Goosebumps films (not the new sequel), I had fairly high expectations. Sadly it didn't live up to them.
For me this film seemed to be nothing new. I was bored for the most of this and there were only a few parts that I really enjoyed. A lot of the humour and banter between the characters seemed a little too ott and forced and made me cringe more than it made me smile. The effects were alright and there were some truly creepy scenes, just not enough. Cate Blanchett probably saved this, as even Jack Black couldn't bring back the magic he had with RL Stine. And the evil warlock wasn't particularly scary or threatening, and the whole ending was lacking any sort of menacing terror or suspense.
I also spent the entire film thinking the kid was the one from Room (Jacob Tremblay), and wondering why on earth his acting was so bad. The kid was one of the problems in this, I won't lie and his crying was particularly horrendous. And then when the credits rolled I realised it wasn't him after all...
For me this film seemed to be nothing new. I was bored for the most of this and there were only a few parts that I really enjoyed. A lot of the humour and banter between the characters seemed a little too ott and forced and made me cringe more than it made me smile. The effects were alright and there were some truly creepy scenes, just not enough. Cate Blanchett probably saved this, as even Jack Black couldn't bring back the magic he had with RL Stine. And the evil warlock wasn't particularly scary or threatening, and the whole ending was lacking any sort of menacing terror or suspense.
I also spent the entire film thinking the kid was the one from Room (Jacob Tremblay), and wondering why on earth his acting was so bad. The kid was one of the problems in this, I won't lie and his crying was particularly horrendous. And then when the credits rolled I realised it wasn't him after all...
Steve Fearon (84 KP) rated Terrifier (2017) in Movies
Oct 31, 2018
Intriguing new character "Art" (1 more)
Gore galore
Doesn't seem to really have any depth (1 more)
Style over substance?
Does what it promises...but little more
So I finally got around to watching Terrifier, and yeah, it was pretty good.
Art the Clown is a captivating antagonist, with the playful tendencies of pennywise combined with the raw savagery of Jason, with just a pinch of the sadistic in there too.
The kills are largely effective, and brutal, the other characters are mostly fine and bearable, and certainly this is a film worthy of a sequel.
However, there is a niggling criticism that Terrifier is just a series of largely unrelated scenes, where they try to make Art as Brutal/Weird/Unsettling as possible, without really concerning themselves with any sort of a deeper plot, lore or moral.
The rules and motivations surrounding Art are unclear, at times hinting at mother issues, him just being an ordinary lunatic, but also having some supernatural elements too.
Its enjoyable enough without the lore and background, but for Art to transcend from a one off (if you ignore the short film starring him) we need to understand more.
Still, if you like your 80's gore horror, I am sure you will find something to like here.
Art the Clown is a captivating antagonist, with the playful tendencies of pennywise combined with the raw savagery of Jason, with just a pinch of the sadistic in there too.
The kills are largely effective, and brutal, the other characters are mostly fine and bearable, and certainly this is a film worthy of a sequel.
However, there is a niggling criticism that Terrifier is just a series of largely unrelated scenes, where they try to make Art as Brutal/Weird/Unsettling as possible, without really concerning themselves with any sort of a deeper plot, lore or moral.
The rules and motivations surrounding Art are unclear, at times hinting at mother issues, him just being an ordinary lunatic, but also having some supernatural elements too.
Its enjoyable enough without the lore and background, but for Art to transcend from a one off (if you ignore the short film starring him) we need to understand more.
Still, if you like your 80's gore horror, I am sure you will find something to like here.
Awix (3310 KP) rated Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse (2018) in Movies
Jan 2, 2019
It seems only appropriate to close out the year which saw the passing of Stan Lee and Steve Ditko with a film celebrating their most successful creation; the result is a movie which appears to be under-performing at the box office simply because it's animated (a regrettable prejudice which I sometimes suffer from myself). On one level this is yet another Spider-Man origin story, the novelty value comes from the fact that the Spider-Man in question is the Ultimate version (Miles Morales) and the plot involves a hole being blown in the universe and numerous other Spider-People from parallel worlds being sucked through. Some of these are very weird.
Rock-solid storytelling, huge visual imagination and some very good jokes come together to make a film which works really well on virtually every level; there's perhaps not enough of the Nicolas Cage Spider-Man but you can't have everything. Not sure where they're going to go with the sequel (the novelty value of this film makes it a tough act to follow) but it does at least suggest possibilities for a meta-franchise based just on Spider-Man. A worthy and touching tribute to Stan and Steve.
Rock-solid storytelling, huge visual imagination and some very good jokes come together to make a film which works really well on virtually every level; there's perhaps not enough of the Nicolas Cage Spider-Man but you can't have everything. Not sure where they're going to go with the sequel (the novelty value of this film makes it a tough act to follow) but it does at least suggest possibilities for a meta-franchise based just on Spider-Man. A worthy and touching tribute to Stan and Steve.
Kelly (279 KP) rated Surviving the Evacuation: London in Books
Jan 11, 2019
An interesting first person insight into the Zombie Apocalypse
Contains spoilers, click to show
I confess I only downloaded this book originally because it was free on kindle, however, that being said, I was surprised at how good it was.
The story is written in diary form by fictional character Bill Wright. Similar to Rock Grimes (Walking Dead), Bill missed the initial apocalypse due to injury. His government links tried to rescue him during the evacuation, however, at the last stage the chauffeur fails. The story primarily centres around Bills attempts to escape London on his own, with a leg in cast, without falling victim to the Zombie virus.
The use of a diary to move the story forward is a different approach to most Zombie books, and allows us to to have a greater insight into the thoughts and feelings of the main character in hindsight of the events.
If you are looking for an in-depth and complex book, this is not the book for you, however if you are looking for a quick easy read on the go, I highly recommend this. I have already downloaded the sequel to this story (not free) in order to find out what is next in store for Bill.
The story is written in diary form by fictional character Bill Wright. Similar to Rock Grimes (Walking Dead), Bill missed the initial apocalypse due to injury. His government links tried to rescue him during the evacuation, however, at the last stage the chauffeur fails. The story primarily centres around Bills attempts to escape London on his own, with a leg in cast, without falling victim to the Zombie virus.
The use of a diary to move the story forward is a different approach to most Zombie books, and allows us to to have a greater insight into the thoughts and feelings of the main character in hindsight of the events.
If you are looking for an in-depth and complex book, this is not the book for you, however if you are looking for a quick easy read on the go, I highly recommend this. I have already downloaded the sequel to this story (not free) in order to find out what is next in store for Bill.
David McK (3600 KP) rated Catching Fire in Books
Jan 28, 2019
The second book in Suzanne Collins' <i>The Hunger Games</i> trilogy, this is a true sequel to the first in the sense that it shares the same characters and refers to the same events as the original (as opposed to 'only' being set in the same universe).
At the start of the novel, and having survived <i>The Hunger Games</i>, Katniss is back in District 12 in the company of her mother, sister, and Peeta. Things aren't entirely all rosy, however, as her stunt with the berries has enraged President Snow (and the Capitol), who is now looking for ways to further punish her, leading to her heading back into the arena ...
I have to say, the parallels between the Capitol and ancient Rome are even more pronounced this time round than previously, especially in an early(ish) scene where Katniss and Peeta attend a banquet in the Capitol: a banquet that provides it's guests with the means to be sick so they can eat more more, while those in the districts starve (the myth of the Roman Vomitorium, anyone?). Once again, this is told in the immediate first-person sense, with the novel also ending in a definite cliff-hanger for the final part of the trilogy.
At the start of the novel, and having survived <i>The Hunger Games</i>, Katniss is back in District 12 in the company of her mother, sister, and Peeta. Things aren't entirely all rosy, however, as her stunt with the berries has enraged President Snow (and the Capitol), who is now looking for ways to further punish her, leading to her heading back into the arena ...
I have to say, the parallels between the Capitol and ancient Rome are even more pronounced this time round than previously, especially in an early(ish) scene where Katniss and Peeta attend a banquet in the Capitol: a banquet that provides it's guests with the means to be sick so they can eat more more, while those in the districts starve (the myth of the Roman Vomitorium, anyone?). Once again, this is told in the immediate first-person sense, with the novel also ending in a definite cliff-hanger for the final part of the trilogy.
Michael Packner (32 KP) rated Child's Play 2 (1990) in Movies
Jun 22, 2019
The final fight in the toy factory is one of the best in slasher history. (4 more)
Chucky is even better the second time around
The kills continue to be inventive
The film successfully keeps the dark tone from the first
The film finds a perfect balance of darkness and humor
Close your eyes and count to seven. When you wake you'll be in heaven.
Child's Play 2 is the perfect horror sequel. The film takes everything that made the first one great and ups the ante without going too far. More violence, more gore, more comedy, and more Chucky. Yes, part 2 saw Chucky starting to find his footing as a king of zing with the one liners before he kills you, but it wasn't until Bride of Chucky that I felt they took it too far. It's great to have Alex Vincent back as Andy and Christine Elise steps into the series as Kyle, Andy's foster sibling with a rocker chick edge. The kills are great and the suspense is still there. The film is not quite as dark as the original, but the tone is still on point. The climax in the toy factory is one of the best, at least in slasher history. Definitely a must watch in the Child's Play series.
Child's Play 2 is the perfect horror sequel. The film takes everything that made the first one great and ups the ante without going too far. More violence, more gore, more comedy, and more Chucky. Yes, part 2 saw Chucky starting to find his footing as a king of zing with the one liners before he kills you, but it wasn't until Bride of Chucky that I felt they took it too far. It's great to have Alex Vincent back as Andy and Christine Elise steps into the series as Kyle, Andy's foster sibling with a rocker chick edge. The kills are great and the suspense is still there. The film is not quite as dark as the original, but the tone is still on point. The climax in the toy factory is one of the best, at least in slasher history. Definitely a must watch in the Child's Play series.
LeftSideCut (3776 KP) rated Child's Play 3 (1991) in Movies
Oct 22, 2019 (Updated Nov 8, 2019)
The third outing for Chucky unfortunately offers nothing new.
It's simply a less fun re tread of the first two.
The setting for Child's Play 3 mainly takes place at a military academy for young people, with typical character cliches thrown in - the nerdy coward type who will clearly redeem himself by the end of the movie, the harsh drill sergeant, the jock type bullies, the badass female, and of course a whole host of people who (for the third time!) don't believe a now teenage Andy Barcley, that there's a killer doll on the loose.
It's all pretty tiresome, and tied together by a poor script.
Chucky himself is the same old, shooting off sweary one liners and being a general prick to everyone he comes across (not necessarily a bad thing).
The finale is pretty lackluster, and not a patch on the seemingly never ending abuse parade against Chucky from Child's Play 2, but it does boast some nice animatronic work and some nasty practical effects.
Child's Play 3 is ultimately a thoroughly underwhelming sequel, sat in a weird purgatory between the more horror themed elements of the first movie, and the schlockier elements of the later films.
It's simply a less fun re tread of the first two.
The setting for Child's Play 3 mainly takes place at a military academy for young people, with typical character cliches thrown in - the nerdy coward type who will clearly redeem himself by the end of the movie, the harsh drill sergeant, the jock type bullies, the badass female, and of course a whole host of people who (for the third time!) don't believe a now teenage Andy Barcley, that there's a killer doll on the loose.
It's all pretty tiresome, and tied together by a poor script.
Chucky himself is the same old, shooting off sweary one liners and being a general prick to everyone he comes across (not necessarily a bad thing).
The finale is pretty lackluster, and not a patch on the seemingly never ending abuse parade against Chucky from Child's Play 2, but it does boast some nice animatronic work and some nasty practical effects.
Child's Play 3 is ultimately a thoroughly underwhelming sequel, sat in a weird purgatory between the more horror themed elements of the first movie, and the schlockier elements of the later films.
Sarah (7800 KP) rated Men in Black International (2019) in Movies
Jul 3, 2019
Disappointing
Like many films nowadays, this is yet another sequel that we didn't need. The first two MIB sequels were let's face it pretty poor, and I'm afraid to say this 4th installment is not much better.
It was nice to see MIB back on the big screen, however the problem with this film is that it doesn't have any of the magic of the original. It's lacking in humour, a decent plot and some funny and unique aliens. Instead we get a few odd jokes that raise a brief smile, a predictable and done to death plot and a lot of rather silly, pathetic and rather irritating aliens. They've tried to recapture the pairing of Thor and Valkyrie with the casting of Chris Hemsworth and Tessa Thompson, but the issue is this film just doesn't have the scriptwriters that Marvel has to give such a great cast something good to work with. The cast in this is truly fantastic and they do the best they can, it's just a shame that they've been let down by a very poor script with some cliched and predictable character types.
This isnt terrible by any means and it is at least vaguely enjoyable, but altogether a rather disappointing return for MIB to the big screen.
It was nice to see MIB back on the big screen, however the problem with this film is that it doesn't have any of the magic of the original. It's lacking in humour, a decent plot and some funny and unique aliens. Instead we get a few odd jokes that raise a brief smile, a predictable and done to death plot and a lot of rather silly, pathetic and rather irritating aliens. They've tried to recapture the pairing of Thor and Valkyrie with the casting of Chris Hemsworth and Tessa Thompson, but the issue is this film just doesn't have the scriptwriters that Marvel has to give such a great cast something good to work with. The cast in this is truly fantastic and they do the best they can, it's just a shame that they've been let down by a very poor script with some cliched and predictable character types.
This isnt terrible by any means and it is at least vaguely enjoyable, but altogether a rather disappointing return for MIB to the big screen.
Rebecca Billcliff (2409 KP) rated How To Train Your Dragon: The Hidden World (2019) in Movies
Nov 11, 2019
A great conclusion!
I fell in love with this franchise when I saw the first film in the cinema. I had a pass at the time, so watched it three times that week.
The second instalment tugged my heartstrings, and I was nervous to see what the third would do. Would it suffer from classic third fizzle syndrome? Will it have a satisfying conclusion? Will I like it? No, yes, and YES!
They managed to capture all the essence of the original, but made it enough of an evolution to realy show progress. So much character development and to come up with an end that says "Yes, this story is done" but also that they live on and it is the start of new things.
As someone who started in her late (very late) teens, watching a young Hiccup finding his feet, to grow with him and Toothless has been magical. I now have my own baby, and can not wait to share these films with him.
This trilogy is, I feel, the best thing to come out of DreamWorks, and while neither sequel is quite as strong as the first, they stand up as sone of the best in cinema!.
The second instalment tugged my heartstrings, and I was nervous to see what the third would do. Would it suffer from classic third fizzle syndrome? Will it have a satisfying conclusion? Will I like it? No, yes, and YES!
They managed to capture all the essence of the original, but made it enough of an evolution to realy show progress. So much character development and to come up with an end that says "Yes, this story is done" but also that they live on and it is the start of new things.
As someone who started in her late (very late) teens, watching a young Hiccup finding his feet, to grow with him and Toothless has been magical. I now have my own baby, and can not wait to share these films with him.
This trilogy is, I feel, the best thing to come out of DreamWorks, and while neither sequel is quite as strong as the first, they stand up as sone of the best in cinema!.
Matthew Krueger (10051 KP) rated Maleficent: Mistress of Evil (2019) in Movies
Nov 11, 2019 (Updated Nov 11, 2019)
A Family Picture
Contains spoilers, click to show
Maleficent: Mistress of evil- is a good sequel to the oringal movie. Its a better story, a better tale, better acting, a better villian and a more darker movie. Especially the third act which i will go into. So lets begin the review with the plot:
Maleficent travels to a grand old castle to celebrate young Aurora's upcoming wedding to Prince Phillip. While there, she meets Aurora's future mother-in-law -- a conniving queen who hatches a devious plot to destroy the land's fairies. Hoping to stop her, Maleficent joins forces with a seasoned warrior and a group of outcasts to battle the queen and her powerful army.
This movie like i said adds more to the oringal source, its more twisted and dark and for a PG disney film that is true. The third act has so many deaths, so many. You lose count on how many deaths their are. Michele Preiffer is soo great as the villian and her plot is so dark and twisted. Angelina Jolie is good again as Maleficent and Elle Fanning is good again as Aurora.
If you have liked and seen the first one, than you will like this one.
Maleficent travels to a grand old castle to celebrate young Aurora's upcoming wedding to Prince Phillip. While there, she meets Aurora's future mother-in-law -- a conniving queen who hatches a devious plot to destroy the land's fairies. Hoping to stop her, Maleficent joins forces with a seasoned warrior and a group of outcasts to battle the queen and her powerful army.
This movie like i said adds more to the oringal source, its more twisted and dark and for a PG disney film that is true. The third act has so many deaths, so many. You lose count on how many deaths their are. Michele Preiffer is soo great as the villian and her plot is so dark and twisted. Angelina Jolie is good again as Maleficent and Elle Fanning is good again as Aurora.
If you have liked and seen the first one, than you will like this one.