One of the most anxiety-inducing horror movies I've ever watched. The film teases and builds throughout its runtime until it implodes in horrendous and glorious fashion. A must watch for horror fans.
Season 3 of Ted lasso is stretching its concept beyond breaking point. Side characters taking over the runtime with boring plot points, preachy political/social messages constantly and overly sentimental soppy dialogue. Why did the episode runtimes need to be so long this season? The breezy 30 min episodes of earlier seasons were easy watching but the show struggles to fill 45min to hour long plus stretched runtimes with anything interesting.
The finale does at least mostly stick the landing, but thank god they decided to end it now and didn't drag it out longer. 5/10.
Despite a wobbly second half, the final season of better call saul ultimately ends on a satisfying note that ties the two shows together and caps off our time in this universe perfectly.
An emotionally devastating look at one mans experience as a doctor in the NHS. Gripping and emotional. One of the best shows of the year.
A bold, mysterious and highly conceptual show that is a must-watch for fans of Science fiction.
After a slightly disappointing season 2, season 3 of The Boys is exciting and well written, fleshing out the world of the show with new and interesting characters whilst also developing our core cast in new ways. Looking forward to seeing where the show goes from here!
Season 3 has been a very mixed season for me. The main plot of the show has lost focus and instead they have brought in these one off 'vignette' episodes that vary wildly in quality. The show seems to have lost its identity somewhat, with the move to Europe for this season and the aforementioned vignettes. I worry the show is also becoming too obtuse and for lack of a better word, 'pretentious' at times.
Best Episodes:
Three Slaps
New Jazz
The Old Man and the Tree
Worst Episodes:
The Big Payback
Trini 2 De Bone
Rich Wigga Poor Wigga
The direction, lyricism, themes, lighting, music, all exceptional. The sheer amount of talent and craft from Bo Burnham to produce a special like this in the worst possible circumstances. An incredible performance with a deeper message that deserves to be dissected and discussed for years to come.
Certainly the best Marvel offering from the year so far, just beating out Wandavision.
Had low expectations going in given how long we have had Loki in the MCU, but his adventures in the TVA proved to be very interesting and hooked me in from episode 1. It takes the MCU in a very new direction and I look forward to see what future movies and TV shows will do with the setup the show has provided.
What the hell happened with this season???
The Expanse was one of the most promising sci-fi shows of the past decade, but they really dropped the ball with this season. It felt drawn-out, meandering and probably worst of all dull (at times). Some characters fared better than others (What a shit season for alex, bobby and naomi). The major mystery carried over from season 4 regarding the big mysteries of the show are completely absent here, dropped to focus on new villain Marcos Inaros, by far the worst villain the show has produced, especially after Burn Gormans brilliant turn as Murtry in Season 4.
I sincerely hope they can rescue this show for its final season on Amazon with Season 6 next year...
Thrilling. Stunning. Mesmerizing. A peek behind the curtain at one of histories greatest sports teams. The time and effort put into the documentary is simply outstanding. I knew almost nothing about basketball going into this show and I've come out wanting to know more and more.
Just finished season 1 and I honestly never thought I would see a sitcom like this come into existence.
Sudekis has done a great job blending the optimistic sitcom stylings of the US with the more down to earth and cynical take you often get from british sitcoms. It is somehow both wholesome, uplifting and at the same time tackles some tough issues and weighty subject matter. The title character played by Sudekis is charming and likable but also vulnerable and flawed and a fascinating character to watch as the first season unfolds. Possibly Sudekis' best work to date.
Looking forward to season 2!
My god this had so much potential....
The biggest failing of this film is that it is so confused about what it wants to be. Half this film wants to be a Chris Rock funny buddy cop movie and the other half wants to be a gritty gory 'saw-esque' horror thriller; and 'Saw-esque' is the best way to describe it because it feels like a plot was developed and then had the saw franchise awkwardly bolted onto it afterwards. Did Lionsgate insist that characters awkwardly mention John Kramer a few times for contractual reasons? Why is this even a saw film? It has almost nothing to do with the other films at all....
Chris Rock is a serviceable and likable lead and this film does at least move away from the horrible cinematography the saw franchise is known for. Honestly, that is about it for positives :(
The tone is laughably inconsistent. One scene we have characters cracking jokes about divorce with peppy hip-hop music and then two minutes later someone is getting brutally killed in a horrible death trap. The plot moves along just fine with some interesting things to say about modern policing, until you get to the ending twist which you can predict coming from a mile away! The movie is also incredibly rushed. Editing is sloppy and it is evident that several scenes were cut out when they probably should have been left in to give the film some breathing space with its characters. They also bring back that terrible quick-cut editing from the old saw films that I hate with a passion as it looks comically dated.
Don't even get me started on the hip-hop remix of the saw theme that plays during the credits :face_vomiting:
Miserable. Yet somehow not the worst SAW film in existence. 3/10.
Saw II is by no means a bad film, but the cracks had definitely began to show for the series.
The plot this time around is not as strong as the first, but is still interesting and fairly different from how Saw I sets itself up. We get a much better picture of who Jigsaw is, and its the first of a strong set of performances from Tobin Bell. Again the focus isnt really on gore and shock, not yet anyway.
This film does start an annoying trend of having absolutely clueless and annoying characters. Some of them act so irrationally and it makes you wanna shout through the screen at them. Again, I am not a fan of the editing nor the cinematography and I have a feeling it only gets worse in the coming films.
Could've been worse I suppose. Not bad... maybe a bit meh. 6/10.
The Original Saw (2004) is by far the best in the series. But I guess that's not saying much!
The first in the franchise benefits greatly from a tight and winding plot that keeps the viewer hooked, with an ending that is well deserved and works with the rules put in place by the film. Cary Elwes is great as Dr Gordon even if Leigh Whannell was never destined to be an actor. Gore is definitely not the name of the game here, with the camera frequently cutting away rather than lingering on the violence. Its plot comes first and is a great ride both first time and once you know what is coming.
On the bad side, I despise the editing in this film and the franchise as a whole. The quick cuts may have been a way at the time to save on budget, but it has unfortunately become a staple for this series and I really do not like it. The audio design is also terrible, with the loud stuff destroying my speakers but somehow I was still struggling to hear characters mumbling dialogue (but tbf this might be my setup). Finally, the cinematography is not to my taste. Very grimey, very brown/green, but is damn effective I suppose!
Its good stuff. Only goes downhill from here. 7/10.
Another Halloween film and another series reboot!
Halloween (2018) clearly idolises the original film and seeks to use this only as a jumping-off point for a new film. Jamie Lee Curtis returns once again as a much older Laurie Strode and teams up with the Haddonfield police as well as her daughter and grand-daughter to stop Michael Myers again.
One of my favourite aspects of this film are the way it explores the legacy of Michael Myers. Having two people exploring his history to make a podcast may seem very 2010's on the surface, but it reinstates a lot of the tension and mysticism surrounding Michael, making him again an imposing figure. Curtis is again exceptional, and seeing the way her fears filter down to her daughter and grand-daughter is an interesting watch. This is also the best directed film in this franchise for a long while, with gorgeous shots and scenes that ooze with tension.
If there is one major gripe I have with this film however, it is that it is a little too in love with the original. To the point where it starts to copy its plot somewhat and even copy entire scenes from the original. It tries to straddle the line between admiration and remake and at times, leans a little too much into the original to the point where it starts to lack its own identity as a film. That said, the recording of Donald Pleasance were a nice touch; even if the plot involving the new doctor at the sanitorium is completely batshit.
Its a good start for this rebooted series that will now be a trilogy: Halloween (2018), Halloween Kills and Halloween Ends. I am looking forward to seeing where it goes from here. 7/10.
This. This is truly the low point of the franchise. Worse than the movie with the cult.
Whose idea was it to kill former series protagonist in the first 6 minutes?? whose idea was it to have Busta Rhymes karate kick Michael Myers through a window? Whose idea was it to turn this franchise into a psuedo-reality show?? These are all questions I asked myself during my viewing.
It honestly baffles me that this was made right after H20 which tried to reestablish the series somewhat. All the characters are boring or unlikable, there are loads of naff fake jump scares and Michael is the least scary he has ever been (why when confronted by Busta Rhymes also wearing a mask, does he just walk away??). Busta Rhymes and Tyra Banks are also horribly miscast in the movie, with neither offering anything worthwhile and removing any sense of consistent tone.
The only thing this movie has going for it is that it is not taking itself very seriously and that leads to a few unintentionally hilarious moments for the audience (but, may I remind you, this is still labelled a horror movie).
Absolutely terrible. Glad I don't have to watch again. 2/10.
Isn't Halloween H20: 20 years later a really stupid title?
But it serves an important purpose and that is to separate this movie from the last few in the franchise.
Halloween H20 is in large parts a soft reboot, ignoring the events of everything after Halloween 2, and bringing back Jamie Lee Curtis for a more streamlined and back-to-basics Halloween movie. For the most part, this works very well. The change in setting to the school is very interesting (even if 99% of the students left to go on a school vacation, seriously when would that ever happen??). Curtis is the best aspect here by far. Laurie Strode is a more complex character this time around, clearly suffering from PTSD from her prior encounters with Michael, and this is pushed onto her son against his will. I also enjoyed her interactions with Michael in this movie, which adds a much needed dynamic to his character which has been missing for some time now.
The plot follows a largely predictable course however, and the film has not aged particularly well, with some cheesy 90s horror tropes that are probably best kept in the 90s. I also groaned slightly when I saw LL Cool J in the cast list, but his appearance is brief and not all that bad.
Its derivative, but a damn sight better than the last few films in the franchise. 6/10.
The one with the weird cult!
With Jamie and Michael kidnapped at the end of the previous film (yes, serial killer Michael Myers gets kidnapped) we discover that several years later Jamie has been forced to give birth to a child by a nefarious cult.
The biggest issue by far for the film is the cult, which we discover now control Michael using a silly magical rune and want to pass his power onto a child once he has killed the remainder of his family. Discovering that Michael can be controlled removes any threat and malice his character previously had. The cult has no backstory or reason to continue this curse except that they are evil.
To my surprise, this was also the first credited appearance in a film for Paul Rudd. A shame then, that his character is terribly written; a weird loner that at first seems to be evil and mysterious but then is just a regular guy who wants to help the Strode family. Rudd's performance is not exactly great, which probably explains why he never returned to this genre. The other usual teens for Michael to kill are present again here and, as per the last few films, are annoying and pretty awful.
The film is bad. Like silly and boring bad, but not even funny-bad. Just really bad. Who's idea was it to bring in a cult? 3/10.
(Thank god they ditched this timeline in the next film)
Oh boy, this is when they start to get really bad...
The film starts off by showing how Michael hilariously escaped an explosion at the end of the last film and how a random man brings him back to full health, for some reason??? Its really stupid.
The main crime this film commits is being really dull. The main girl this time around is Rachel who briefly appeared in the fourth film. This character is incredibly irritating to watch as she bumbles from one scene to another, completely failing to see that her friends are being murdered. Pleasance and Harris give it the best they can but their material is also pretty weak in this film.
All in all, this film feels very pointless. A bridging film between the mediocre Halloween 4 and the downright awful Curse of Michael Myers. Boring, silly characters, pointless story. 4/10.
This film has some things going for it that I believe ultimately make it a not bad follow up to the first two films in the franchise. The return of Donald pleasance as Dr Loomis was a fan-pleasing move and the performance from Danielle Harris as Jamie is commendable for such a young actress. The score is again used well and the direction is not half bad. The film falters in ambition, as it is really another re-tread of the first film. It also gets a bit silly towards the end with the gang of locals going after Michael Myers, and I will never get tired of seeing Michael sat in drivers seat of a car, something about this is really comical. The ending is also rushed and very sequel-baiting.
Not a bad film overall, certainly not as bad as what was still to come. 6/10
A bona fide classic of the horror genre, but by no means the best of the genre. The original Halloween has impeccable direction and sound design, a staple of John carpenter's work. The film is subtle and creepy, preferring to let you do a lot of the guesswork when it comes to it's villain and his motives. The score has since become iconic and for good reason, as it is masterfully composed and utilised well throughout the runtime.
Whilst I would argue that by today's standards the film is not particularly scary, I would level that same criticism at the slasher genre as a whole. This films remains in my eyes the best the slasher genre has to offer, and a must-watch for horror fans.
Halloween II follows in the steps of the original to produce a very safe but entertaining sequel. Whilst it does overindulge in gore, the suspense is still palpable and the change in setting is interesting enough. But for me, the film ends up feeling too safe, almost copying the blueprint set up in the original film. It's good, not great, but still miles better than the low points for this series.
Whilst the film is not without merit, such as it's fun soundtrack and some interesting ideas, it ends up being a convoluted and silly film with a goofy villain that doesn't fit into the franchise at all. Why is it even called season of the witch when it has nothing to do with witches?? Fans were surely left begging for Michael Myers to return
