Assuming that this is intentionally meant to be camp is doing it a service it doesn’t deserve, I think.
Yes, there’s goofy and trashy stuff in it, but they play it mostly straight with the presentation, i.e. most of this feels like it’s trying to be an actual movie. It’s not as over the top and entertaining as it needed to be, like it’s certainly no Malignant or Drag me to Hell.
Instead, it’s one of the dullest experiences I’ve had in a long time.
All of the actors are instant razzie frontrunners (especially Allison Williams, holy shit what a trainwreck of a performance) and the writing constantly veers between human dialogue as interpreted by aliens (or M Night Shyamalan), and unintentionally (yes, unintentionally) funny garbage. I know it’s unintentional, because the intentional jokes that are worked into the script aren’t funny at all.
The story is of course laughable and completely predictable. So many unnecessary, boring scenes, as well as quick bits that are clearly aimed to just be memes on TikTok. Even the crazy stuff felt fairly restrained to me, it’s not nearly bonkers enough to become entertaining. For example, don’t go into this expecting more of the dance sequence, because all of the best bits are in the trailer.
Finally, the filmmaking and visual style are instantly forgettable. Not a single interesting shot or artistic choice in the whole thing.
In short, nothing fun or clever about it, just very typical January horror kitsch that was probably only greenlit as a tax write-off for Jason Blum.
1.5/10
This movie was actually better than what I thought it would of been. It’s a fun young adult horror comedy, so enjoy it for what it is. Any one between middle school and college age will probably really enjoy this, especially if you like stranger things.
This was the scariest film I'd seen as a kid. After Evil Dead. Rewatching it now, there's absolutely nothing scary about it but it was a lot of fun watching it again. The acting was surprisingly good.
Premise - 15/20 - Another Groundhog Day scenario? I'm all in. Why not see how different types of people handle the same situation?
Cast/characters - 17/20 - Kyle Allen (The Inbetween) is proving to be a very charming lead, and Kathryn Newton (Freaky) is wonderful again. The characters were nuanced and were developed well.
Plot - 18/20 - The developing friendship between the two characters took more of a front seat in this movie than the comedy focus of Groundhog Day. The story of finding all of the good things that were happening while no one else is watching was a fantastic idea. The ending was very satisfying.
Dialogue - 15/20 - The banter between the leads around the deeper conversation pulls in the viewer. Their drive to understand each other was laid out well. Despite the fact that conversations often get repeated in this premise, I enjoyed the dialogue.
Setting - 15/20 - The little town was explored thoroughly, and it was pleasant to see all the different details as the characters played out their ideas.
80/100 - 4/5 stars - The leads have great chemistry, the supporting characters are charming, and the plot is wonderful. I'm really glad I landed on this movie to watch.
Premise - 13/20 - A couple with problems? Interesting, but not special
Cast/characters - 15/20 - Ana de Armas has certainly blasted onto the scene. Ben Affleck has more acting ability than credited for, and he's certainly improving with age. Grace Jenkins plays their young daughter, and she is definitely fun to watch. The end credits scene gives you a big smile.
Plot - 15/20 - I was more interested than I thought I'd be.
Dialogue - 12/20 - Nothing special.
World-building - 10/20 - Nothing to see here.
65/100 - 3/5 stars - I enjoyed the watch, but honestly, it's not anything I'd watch again. It was forgettable in the long run.
The first half was completely forgettable. Like 90% of action movies, to be fair. But the second half is just plain dumb.
How much longer until we get to see Yvonne Strahovski in a movie worth of her talent? :weary:
Interesting enough. The time travel stuff didn't make too much sense to me but everthing else was pretty neat. Liked the monster designs. Wish someone would try to think of some new monster sounds though. I feel like these days every movie monster either clicks or growls.
I have to say that I was bored with this movie. I didn’t feel empathy for any of the characters. They all seemed very one dimensional. What could have been comedic performances from Murray and Wayans was absent. It’s a shame because the cast ensemble was good but the script and direction was just so bland that these actors could only fail to turn it into anything more than forgettable.
What took me so long to watch this movie? Absolutely delightful, if darker than expected for a "family" film outing, the comedy is solid as is the character interactions. Well worth revisiting. Not Candy or Hughes best movie (that is Planes, Trains and Automobiles) but certainly wonderful and worth your time!
