3 Thoughts After Watching ‘Halloween Kills’:
If I had to hear “evil dies tonight” or one of the many other melodramatic one-liners again, I was going to scream. This film tried wayyy too hard — and it failed, miserably. Awful writing. I believe this is the worst contribution to the franchise and, considering a few of them, that’s saying a lot.
Intro and score aside, this didn’t feel like a Halloween film by any means. The theater was constantly laughing — and not in a good way. Michael Myers took on characteristics and acted in ways that were very unlike him. For example, our classic Michael was always super stealth. Barely ever seen. That was what was creepy about him. Frankly, we saw way too much of him here.
I hated how “deep” they tried to take this incredibly-jumbled plot. Insinuating that Michael was ultimately out to turn the town against each other, bringing out their evil. No. That’s not Michael. It’s quite a stretch. And the side plot of the escaped patient was random and ridiculous.
Bonus Thought: I’m honestly not at all a fan of this timeline. I think their biggest mistake was taking the connection away that Michael and Laurie were siblings. It provided motive and stakes and the family element that was always a part of the mythology.
3 Thoughts After Watching ‘Wonder Woman 1984’:
I certainly wasn’t bored, but there was clearly not a solid, cohesive plot here. The whole “make a wish on a rock from a god” storyline was super convoluted and far from clear. EVERYTHING about it felt severely thrown together. Bringing Steve’s “spirit” (?) back from the dead felt like quite a stretch as well.
Despite the rather inventive way of bringing Pine back into the fold, it was nice seeing them together again. And I’d be lying if I said I wasn’t moved by their second parting.
One tiny thing I REALLY missed here was (what I thought was) her epic theme score from the other films in the DCU. That whole guitar riff thing. It was so epic and badass — and so very absent in this film.
Bonus Thought: As much as I love love love me some Kristen Wiig, and as much as I was SO excited to see this massive departure from her usual comedy work, she felt a tad out of place here. But I did enjoy her villain more than Pascal’s — which I think might be among the absolute worst in a superhero film.
3 Thoughts After Watching ‘Jurassic World Dominion’:
It was pure nostalgic joy to see the original cast together after all these years. Their chemistry is still magic, and they were clearly the highlight of this film. I even liked the direction they went in with Grant and Ellie. I was hoping for that outcome since the beginning. We JP fans are lucky to see our OG trio finally reunite.
Despite a few solid action scenes and some brief moments of greatness, this ultimately did not FEEL like a Jurassic Park film, something the earlier sequels still managed to somewhat achieve. And that’s what bothers me the most. The first half felt very much like a Mission: Impossible flick. I could have done with less espionage and over-the-top characters like Santos.
That plot didn’t deserve Ellie, Alan, and Ian. For a film that was meant to bring together two generations and serve as an epic Jurassic finale, it was sadly a fail. So many missed opportunities. There was no sense of true closure. No impactful full-circle moments. I tried explaining the storyline to my sister and it proved difficult. I may have lost her at kidnapped clones. All a bit forgettable. It wasn’t terrible, but it missed the mark for such a beloved franchise.
Bonus Thought: They should have stuck with the classic dinos. These hybrids left zero impact. And I would have been pissed off if T-Rex died in the end.
Extra Bonus Thought: Was it just me or was Dodgson terribly-acted with the worst dialogue? There were so many moments from him that fell so flat.
Extra Extra Bonus Thought: One blink-and-you’ll-miss-it moment I appreciated was when the T-Rex walked behind a circular structure and provided a brief nod to the iconic JP logo.
3 Thoughts After Re-Watching ‘Scream 3’:
I hesitated rating this entry a 9, but it’s definitely somewhat inferior to the first two… HOWEVER, not by much AND there’s a lot it gets right. It pays homage to the original in more ways than the second did. The character development is on point. Sid gets some great moments (“I’ve heard this shit before!”). And the ending is literally perfection. The series truly could have ended here, with the biggest and most beautiful bow on top.
What might make it feel inferior is that it felt a little too Hollywood, with its rando cameos and over-the-top scenes and plot points (that voice changer is quite a stretch). But this could be excused by the fact that Hollywood is a big part of this chapter, and that this series is ALL about making movies. In the end, it gives the franchise a fresher feel… something sequels tend to fail remarkably at.
Another reason why it doesn’t reach the heights of the last two is the supporting cast (minus Parker Posey, of course). But the truth is, our legacy trio are the heart and soul of this franchise. Every other new face, since the original, will always and forever pale in comparison.
Bonus Thought: Roger Jackson is an icon. This whole series would be nothing without his Ghostface voice.
3 Thoughts After Watching ‘Scream VI’:
I’m not thrilled with what they did to Gale. You remove a franchise-worth of character growth by having her write that book. Gale was the opportunistic b:asterisk_symbol:tch who grew a soul, and you back-peddle this right after Dewey’s death? Bad timing. And now, every time I watch Scream 6, that poignant ending where Gale promises to let the killers die in anonymity, and to write a book about Dewey instead, that ending will now lose its luster. This didn’t necessarily ruin the new film for me, because you can just say that “some people never change,” but it doesn’t feel right after ALL this time. Rant over.
What did I love? That opening scene showing us the burgeoning killer’s POV for the first time. Gale vs. Ghostface. That Kirby wasn’t the killer (I was very prepared to be very annoyed). And Melissa Barrera’s vastly-improved performance. Homegirl gave us PRESENCE here finally. Was very refreshing to see.
I’ll never forget watching Scream 2 and feeling that absolute shock and heartbreak when Randy was pulled into that van. Drew Barrymore’s immediate kill in the original was iconically shocking. Tatum’s death was a jaw-dropper. Dewey’s death would’ve been shocking if it weren’t so predictable. My point, especially with this installment, is that Scream is getting a little too safe. If I’m counting correctly, not counting the killers, only one person in the main cast died. One. I’m happy we get to see more of these characters, but it’s at the detriment of one of this series’ greatest strengths: shock.
Bonus Thought: I still adore this franchise. And Neve was truly missed.
3 Thoughts After Watching ‘Hocus Pocus 2’:
This was never gonna match the impact of the first one, but it was still a good outing! It successfully matched the vibes and feeling of the original, and celebrated it in all the right places. The music, the jokes, the easter eggs. Not an easy feat for a follow-up 29 years later!
It was smart to give the soul of these films — The Sanderson Sisters — a little more backstory and, at the end, a little more heart. I understand why they opted for that than having the old cast members back — as missed as they are. And speaking of the sisters, Midler was the only one who seemed to have maintained the spirit of their character from the original. Parker and Najimy, as phenomenal as they are, seemed to approach Mary and Sarah a liiittle differently this time around.
I wasn’t completely impressed by the new characters. I couldn’t buy into this new trio of witches, especially when the third friend entered the fray rather late in the film. I didn’t get to know her and, ultimately, didn’t care about her story. The other two certainly weren’t terrible at all, but I can’t say they were particularly memorable. I don’t think we knew enough about them either.
3 Thoughts After Watching ‘The Matrix Resurrections’:
Nostalgia wins. It was awesome to see Moss and Reeves together again! The clear highlight of the film. I’ve always appreciated the love story of Neo and Trinity — and that final scene of them soaring together was a picture-perfect ending... especially if this is the true conclusion to their story. However, I wish the road to this scene was a bit different.
I’m officially accepting the fact that no Matrix sequel will ever not be convoluted and confusing. However, where Reloaded left me feeling like I just wasn’t intelligent enough to understand, Resurrections made me feel like I didn’t understand because it simply didn’t make sense at times. For example… the point/purpose/existence of the new Smith (sorry, but I just couldn’t accept Groff in this role) wasn’t fleshed out enough. I just didn’t get it. And how could Neo and Trinity suddenly have total control of The Matrix in the end? Did I miss something?!
I feel like Neo’s presence and power were somewhat muted in this installment. I love how Trinity stepped into the spotlight with new potential of her own and that their love is ultimately the source of their strength… but that kinda changes the original trilogy’s mythology and its concept of “The One”… and I’m not sure how I feel about that.
Bonus Thought: Morpheus should always and only be Laurence Fishburne. However, Jessica Henwick was a fantastic addition! Would love to see her character again.
Extra Bonus Thought: I loved seeing the Sense8 reunion! I miss them so much!!
Last Bonus Thought: The post-credit scene was ridiculous and left a bad taste in my mouth.
3 Thoughts After Watching ‘Spider-Man: No Way Home’:
This was EVERYTHING Tom Holland’s Spider-Man needed. His standalone story, at least to me, always stood in the shadows of his predecessors, particularly Tobey. All it ever did was inspire comparison. THIS film, again for me, resolved it all. It illustrated to me that each Spider-Man, their individual story, is extraordinarily-special in their own unique way. Sounds moronically obvious? Probably. But I think I needed to see them interact in this crazy-scenario-of-a-movie to finally believe it — and truly appreciate Holland a lot more in the end.
Three Spideys! Wayyy too many thoughts. To see these three interact was absolute nostalgia heaven. To see their differences on display in full-force… Tobey’s organic webbing, the lack of Avengers in two of their lives, their individual heartbreaks… just WOW. And I love and appreciate how Tobey and Andrew were ultimately NOT just cameos. They were an integral part of the story and — in some ways — their stories were continued here! Andrew’s Spidey has a full-circle redemption moment with MJ and we hear that Tobey is living happily-ever-after with his MJ. This was an incredible celebration of Spider-Man for multiple generations. Bravo, Marvel and Sony.
I’m finallyyy excited to see where Tom’s Spidey goes from here. I care about his supporting characters more. I thought Tom really flexed his acting muscles here. This story wasn’t afraid to get deep, bringing his web-slinger to a whole new level of maturity and independence. I feel like the stakes are much higher now. I’m officially ready for more!
Bonus Thought: The villains. What a feat this was. To bring back all of these actors. Willem Dafoe looked like he literally stepped right out of 2002. And to see him interact with Molina’s Doc Ock was just spectacular! Just more nostalgia candy to savor here.
Extra Bonus Thought: Charlie Cox, welcome to the frickin’ MCU. I cannot wait to see what you bring to it!
3 Thoughts After Watching ‘Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania’:
I just have so many questions. This entire plot was made up of poorly-explained scenarios. The ants. The whole Quantum Realm world. How Hank became a master pilot in five minutes. Even the new supporting characters were poorly introduced. But the most significant, and unfortunate, blunder of a storyline was Kang. I still don’t get what he is, what he wants, why he wants to eliminate timelines, why he was banished, and what’s supposed to make him so threatening/powerful. With the intensity of which Janet was introducing him, how nervous she was, we should’ve seen someone a bit more intimidating. And for a villain that’s supposed to be the next Thanos… I’m concerned.
There was barely any humor here. This is an Ant-Man movie, right? M.O.D.O.K/Darren’s death was the closest we got to anything remotely amusing.
So many meant-to-be-poignant moments fell very flat. “It‘s never too late to not be a dick” was just not it. Cassie’s speech was far from inspiring as intended. Even the father/daughter bonding felt a bit forced. Cass seems to be a common denominator here.
Bonus Thought: This film took me four nights to watch, falling asleep the first three.
3 Thoughts After Watching ‘Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings’:
Starting with the good: I thought this was one of the most visually beautiful Marvel films. Just so much fun to look at. It makes me wanna travel to China. The martial art scenes were top notch. And I obviously loved the characters. We cared about them. And I think Simu Liu is a fantastic leading man.
One of my biggest criticisms through much of the film was that the rings were not explained, even a little. What were they exactly? Where did they come from? And what the heck do they actually do? Obviously I felt better about this after watching the post-credit scene.
But I think the lack of explanation for the rings, at least what the power was, did a disservice to the story. For example, I found the finale to be a little anticlimactic. What exactly did Shang-Chi do to kill the big bad soul-sucker? I saw a lot of magic going on, and some spinning, lots of water and light… but I hate when magic happens for magic sake, if that makes sense. I wanna know what I’m seeing. Not just, “Woohoo! He killed the bad guy!” I wanna know what our hero was harnessing. What he went through. In the end, he just got the job done because of the rings. I was hoping for a little more.
Bonus Thought: The dude with the one arm can get it. :pound_symbol:sorrynotsorry
3 Thoughts After Watching ‘Candyman: Farewell to the Flesh’:
I thought this was a proper sequel to the original. I honestly don’t think it was any better or worse than the first one… perhaps giving the predecessor a few more points for starting it all. And for Virginia Madsen.
I appreciated how this chapter built upon the original story and mythology. How we learn more about the man behind the monster and his connection to the mirror. I thought it was important that they put more emphasis on the mirror this time around. It makes sense to have the source of what calls him be the thing that also sends him away.
I love New Orleans as a setting for this story. It fits very well.
Bonus Thought: I agree with another commenter here who said that they don’t really get Candyman. As much as I enjoy the first two films, this has been my biggest problem with the franchise. I can’t quite grasp what his motives are, what he’s trying to accomplish, other than trying to remain an immortal urban legend. I don’t know why he frames our protagonists or even keeps them alive. I wish his agenda was better explained — even if it were simple revenge for those who destroyed his life, but that doesn’t even seem to be a factor at all.
3 Thoughts After Watching ‘Zack Snyder’s Justice League’:
I enjoyed it. There’s no doubt about that. It was a well-structured journey, giving us more quality time with Cyborg and The Flash. All kinds of epic, absolutely worthy of a four-hour film. As it grew closer to the climax, there was something missing that I just can’t quite pinpoint. But it’s all good. So different from Marvel in all the right ways. DC truly has so much untapped potential.
I definitely have my qualms: a) Batman felt a bit insignificant here. Other than a couple gadgets and vehicles — and playing the role of recruiter — it just didn’t feel like he was a major force in this battle. b) I have the unpopular opinion that Momoa is wildly miscast in this role and the Snyder Cut didn’t save it. He has occasional moments (particularly one-liners) but, overall, his Aquaman just doesn’t leave a lasting impression. c) I feel the same about Amy Adams and Eisenberg. d) I love “Hallelujah” and that was probably the worst rendition I’ve ever heard.
There were some great music moments. One major standout for me was “Song to the Siren” by Rose Betts. I absolutely love the song and the Flash scene that accompanied it. Such a talented artist.
Bonus Thought: I do agree with a fellow commenter that they were VERY lax with the secret identities in this movie. Very careless.
3 Thoughts After Watching ‘Relic’:
Writing this before reading any comments or online explanations, I have :asterisk_symbol::asterisk_symbol:no:asterisk_symbol::asterisk_symbol: idea what just happened. Should I feel stupid right now? Guess I’m about to find out.
The communication in this family is horrendous. Let’s see a bunch of eerie shit the entire film and not mention it to one another.
There was a solid creep factor for most of the movie and I was waiting for an epic reveal. Only to get something disastrously ambiguous. The last 15 minutes slashed my rating a couple points.
Updated Thought: I’ve come to understand that the entire film is an allegory for Alzheimer’s. I can appreciate the use of a horror vehicle to explore something truly horrific, but — as a viewer — I couldn’t help but feel a little duped with the drastic left turn at the end, revealing the metaphor. It kinda reminds me of when I was super excited to see The Village, and was sorely disappointed to see it basically transition into an entirely different genre. There were elements of this film (i.e. seeing the monster under the bed or behind a character) that seemingly had nothing to do with the allegory and simply led you to believe it was a supernatural story. Duped. And, for me, dissatisfying. But I can see why others respect it.
3 Thoughts After Watching ‘The Platform’:
I would’ve given this a higher score if the point of the message was made a little clearer, and the ending a little more satisfying. Whether the message was the perfect panna cotta or the girl, what’s the purpose of the message at all? To show solidarity? Would it change the system once discovered at the top? Would prisoners be released? What would Goreng gain from it exactly? With only a month left AND living comfy at Level 6, the reward must’ve been worth the trip down. But how would he even assume it’d accomplish anything? So many questions... too many questions revolving this “message” they were trying to send. I wish it were a smidge clearer. ALSO... how was that girl surviving way down there? And why did they not burn up/freeze when they held on to the panna cotta? SO MANY QUESTIONS!
Regardless of the endless questions, I thoroughly enjoyed the film. I thought it was quite an original story and well acted. And I thought the simplistic score was super eerie and effective.
I don’t know what I was thinking when I decided to eat my chicken panini at the start of the film.
