The Cleansing Hour: The Hottest Live Stream In Town

The Cleansing Hour is a horror film directed by Damien LeVeck. The plot focuses on a live stream exorcist Father Max (Ryan Guzman), who pretends to fight the forces of evil and rid the world of demonic forces. However, one night, on a stream, rather unexpectedly it all becomes far too real and Father Max comes face to face with the Devil himself.
This was an unexpected treat. I recently joined back up with Shudder to watch Anything For Jackson, and as I have it for a month I thought I would check out some of their other newer offerings as I already had the service earlier in the year. As such I stumbled across this film, I went in with low expectations of vapid teen focused fare and walked away genuinely surprised by one of the best twist endings I have ever seen in a horror film. The ending I am still thinking about now, well over a week after I watched the film.

I enjoyed how the demon fed of the secrets and lies, this resulted in slow drip-fed character development and an exploration of the character’s world and inner motivations. This made me care about the characters and made me invested in their story and survival. Likewise, I thought Guzman was a strong lead, the wayward priest who has fallen to the dark side but who still longs for a more noble cause is a role he plays well; in this he adds new emotional depths to the standard character architype and adds his own spin.

Overall, this is a horror gem that you can’t let pass you buy.

Pros.

The ending

The twist

Guzman

The character development

A novel new approach that felt, at least to me, very original

Cons.

None

5/5

Reviewed by Luke

Let Them All Talk: Be Nice To Your Friends

Let Them All Talk is a drama film directed by Steven Soderbergh. The plot follows a writer (Meryl Streep), as she, her nephew (Lucas Hedges) and her two old friends (Candice Bergen and Dianne Wiest) go on a cruise together to collect an overseas award.

I think this is a very charming film, it is not huge and over the top, but rather small, compacted, and intimate. It is very much a character study of all involved as well as a reflection on life and those that feature therein.

I think the performances of all involved were strong. Soderbergh does always prove to know how to get the best out of his cast and this is no exception. Gemma Chan, who plays the main character’s literary agent is particularly strong, I will admit I fell for her romance with Hedges character I enjoyed their scenes together and wanted to see them end the film together.

My one critique of this film is that it is poorly paced, t

. Though obviously a slow film there are moments in this which I believe are created with the explicit purpose of slowing the film down further, which it does not need. There is a reveal towards the end of the film, which is very significant however, due to the way the film structures itself there is not enough time to properly unpack the new development before the credit’s role; it strikes me that this film either needed to be longer or more tightly edited.

Overall, this is a slow watch and at times painfully so, it wont be for all, but if you are prepared for the time investment then there is a lot of charm to be found here within the quite character drama.

Pros.

The performances

The intimate feel

Soderbergh’s director (for the most part)

Cons.

The ending feels rushed

The pacing is off

3/5

Reviewed by Luke

Home Alone 2: The Highlight Of A President’s Career, Even If He Did Bully His Way Into It

Home Alone 2, Lost In New York is a family Christmas comedy film directed by Chris Columbus. The plot once again sees Kevin (Macauley Culkin), become separated from his parents at Christmas, however this time rather than just being home alone, he is in an entirely different state.

I have long believed out of the Home Alone films that this is the best (though I do also have a soft spot for the 3^rd film as well). The reasons for this are multiple, I think that this film took everything the first film did right and improved on It. An example of this is Kevin’s unlikely friends in the first film he befriends the old man on his street that everyone is afraid of (for no good reason), and here he befriends a woman who covers herself in pigeons. The idea is the same and both friendship arcs do have solid emotion behind them, but the emotional impact is greater here, at least it was for me.

Furthermore, the trap sequence is also improved upon from the first film, with that films final showdown sequence almost looking simplistic when compared to this one. If the traps were you favourite part of the first film you will not be disappointed here.

The one negative of this film comes in how it sets itself up. Kevin is once again seen to be bratty and wishing his family gone, this undoes the entirety of his character’s arc from the first film. The film is self-referential with this and comments on it, but that does not excuse poor writing it just makes it feel lazier.

Another issue I have with the sequel is that the feel good, overly sentimental Christmas message is turned up to 100 and does become a bit too sickly sweet in part; looking at you turtle doves.

Overall, a superior sequel that though an improvement is let down by a few cheap tricks and a lot of bad writing.

Pros.

The improved friendship storyline and its pay off

The improved trap sequence

Tim Curry is always a delight

It is a lot of fun

Cons.

A bit too overly sentimental at times

Reusing the same set up and undercutting the first film

4/5

Reviewed by Luke

The Christmas Chronicles 2: Sending A Child Out To Do A Dangerous Mission Incredibly Under-prepared, I Am Sensing A Theme

The Christmas Chronicle 2 is a Christmas comedy film directed by Chris Columbus. The plot sees a disaffected rebel elf Belsnickle (Julian Dennison), use Kate (Darby Camp), the girl from the first film, to lure Santa Claus (Kurt Russell), into a trap so that he can steal the Star of Bethlehem and start his own workshop in the South Pole.

I think in many ways this is a stronger film that the first. I think by switching the focus from Santa Claus in our world to us in his it ups the magic and the intrigue and gives the filmmakers a rich world to play in. To that end, I enjoyed this film’s version of the North pole and though the deeper dive into Elf culture was interesting, and something I would like to see more off.

Dennison made for a likeable villain, he was never really a threat and it was always clear he was going to become good in the end. For some this might make him a weak villain, personally I don’t think these films need villains, so I didn’t mind; what bothered me was how predictable Belsnickle turning good was.

Camp is still incredibly annoying; her character is a brat through and through and this makes it hard to care about her. The brother character from the first film is mostly ignored in this, I guess he was busy filming other stuff for Netflix. We are introduced to Kate’s stepbrother Jack (Jahzir Bruno), who makes for a much more likeable protagonist, he even has a nice little emotional arc as well.

Overall, this film benefits from fresh blood and new ideas, it tries to replicate a few things from the first film that fall flat and Kate as a lead character lets the film down, but it is still a flawed gem.

Pros.

Tyrese

Jack is a fun new character

Exploring Santa’s world and his relationship with Belsnickle

Kurt Russell

Cons.

The film tries to mimic the first by having another musical number, however here it does not work

Kate is a terrible lead and is irritating throughout

4/5

Reviewed by Luke

Jack Frost: A New Specter To Haunt Your Dreams

Jack Frost is a dark fantasy drama film directed by Troy Miller. The plot follows the aftermath of the death of Jack Frost (Michael Keaton), a musician and family man who dies during the Holiday season. As his family tries to move on with their lives, Jack resurrects with the help of seasonal magic into the body of a snowman to see his son, one last time.

This is a horrifying film for a lot of different reasons. So, I went into this thinking it was a family Christmas film, and though it does share some of those elements: mainly the over sentimental moments and the family focus, it is actually far darker and sadder then that.

I have seen a lot of people who say that the snowman itself is nightmare fuel, and personally though I think it looks bad I would not go that far with it. I think viewed in a contemporary context for the time period it is about on par with a lot of the other CGI puppetry hybrid that existed at the same time.

I enjoyed the films focus on father and son dynamics and thought the ultimate message of the film was sweet and dearly earned, the ending was particularly touching. I think Keaton did a lot to make this freaky looking snowman feel human and allow us to empathise with him.

Overall, I think the core of this film is sweet, well thought out and well intentioned. Though the Snowman himself might not be the easiest to look at thanks to a great performance from Keaton it does touch our hearts.

Pros.

Keaton

The emotion

The ending

Cons.

The snowman itself is off putting

It crosses over into overly sentimental

3/5

Reviewed by Luke

Infamous: Instagram Influencer Gone Bad

Infamous is a crime film directed by Joshua Caldwell. The plot sees a couple from a small town set out on a cross country robbery rampage. They film their crimes with the hopes of achieving online fame.

There is nothing hugely original about this film, and I could name at least 5 others that share a very similar premise. Moreover, the more novel aspects the idea of social media famous robbers seems vapid and gimmicky at best. I think that there is a kernel of a good idea here, but it is buried under a predictable plot and a vain attempt to be trendy.

The cast, with the exception of Bella Throne, are the usual collection of cliches and stereotypes and none of them deliver anything even remotely close to a believable performance. Throne, on the other hand, as many have commended is by far the highlight of this film. She manages to deliver a very raw and emotionally vulnerable performance that stays with you. The reaction scene when Throne’s character realises that her parents have spent all her saved money is truly heart-breaking and you feel it.

The morality and female empowerment angle of the story felt misguided, because whilst yes Throne’s character does become the master of her own life, ( which in itself is inspiring), she is also a cold blooded killer who kills multiple people over the course of the film for simply doing their jobs, (this makes rooting for her character more difficult). The ending of the film almost wants us to cheer Throne’s character on, which in itself is messed up as we would be cheering on a killer.

Overall, Throne shines in this deeply generic crime film.

Pros.

Bell Throne gives a hell of a performance

You do feel an emotional impact from her performance

Cons.

The skewed morality

It is so obvious

It is deeply generic, both in terms of cast and premise

2/5

Reviewed by Luke

Archenemy: Never Doubt A Story Told To You By A Homeless Man Punching A Wall

Archenemy is a superhero mystery thriller film directed by Adam Egypt Mortimer. The plot follows Max Fist (Joe Manganiello), a superpowered being from another plane of reality who is thrust into our world after an attempt to save his world. Once waking up in out world Max realises he can’t get back, he also realises that no one believes him about who he is, apart from a young budding journalist called Hamster (Skylan Brooks).

I loved this film far, far more than I thought I was going to. I am a big fan of Manganiello already, but he was perfect here unlike some of his other roles he did not just play the brawn here, yes that is a part of his character, but he so much more complex with that. Until the end of the film you are never quite sure whether Max is who he claims to be or whether he is mentally ill, the emotional delivery of his performance goes from charming and gruffly likeable, to cold and chilling and back again Manganiello really delivers on the range.

Moreover, Glenn Howerton of Always Sunny fame is also in this film as a sub antagonist and he too is really strong. I have only really seen Howerton in comedic roles for the most part, but this showed me that he can do drama too.

I also liked the aesthetic of the film as well, I thought the transitions between comic book, animated flashbacks and live action was beautifully done and implemented well throughout.

My one complaint of the film would be that Hamster and his sister are dull, they really are. Whenever they are on-screen you immediately want to get back to Manganiello, which is a shame for them as they are trying their best, but they are outacted here for sure.

Overall, one of the best and most surprising films I have seen this year, definitely check it out.

Pros.

Manganiello

Howerton

The blending of animation and live action

The story and the ending

Cons.

The siblings were a weak link

4.5/5

Reviewed by Luke

The Christmas Chronicles: Santa Claus Likes To Risk The Lives Of Children To Teach Them A Hard To Understand Lesson

The Christmas Chronicles is a Christmas comedy film directed by Clay Kaytis. The plot sees two kids accidentally force Santa Claus (Kurt Russell), into a situation where he loses his bag of presents and his reindeer, together they must act to save Christmas.

Much like the other Santa Claus film I have reviewed recently, this film is made by its lead. The kids in this film are actually quite irritating and annoying, the little girl especially, but thanks to the pure magnetism of Russell and the amount of fun he is having in the role you forget about them and begin to enjoy the film.
In that vein this film feels like the best of Russell all crammed together into a slightly under two hour parcel, you have a sing song which is actually quite good, a car chases (in an American muscle car), and of course heart and sentimentality. He really is on top form.

As far as Christmas films go I enjoyed this, annoying kids aside. I thought it was a fun adventure and I had fun watching. Yes, it was a little annoying when at the end of the film Santa revealed that he could have basically fixed everything at the start of the film, but didn’t to teach the kids a lesson, but again the ride was fun even if the ending wasn’t great.

Overall, made good by Russell but far from perfect.

Pros.

Russell

The ride

There were some laughs to be had (though I don’t know how intentional they were)

Cons.

The kids

The ending
3/5

Reviewed by Luke

Anything For Jackson: Demons Are Surprisingly Flexible, Who Knew They Had Yoga In Hell

Anything For Jackson is a horror film directed by Justin G. Dyck. The plot follows an elder couple of devil worshippers who kidnap a pregnant women to use as a bargaining chip in the demonic resurrection of their dead Grandson.

This film really is a testament to the use of practical effects. The demons in this film are genuinely menacing, more so than anything I have seen in recent memory, why? Well because they seem all too real. The main two demons that I would like to draw attention to are the tall ghost demon, I like how they played around with the size, and of course the contortionist main demon who quite frankly was unlike anything I have ever seen before in a horror film- truly chilling.

I enjoyed the empathises this film placed on creating scares through its atmosphere. The film manages to a have a few good jump scares that don’t feel manufactured and that come about organically because of the tense atmosphere, the early resurrection of the bird would be a good example.

My issues with the film are only slight. Firstly, the first act is too slow, I understand it is establishing a lot of things, but it does become a slog after a while, luckily the film quickly rectifies this. Secondly, the central couple were fine but did not blow me away, anyone else could have played those roles.

Overall, this is a very strong, very original horror film that you need to see as it is trying something new and different and pulling it off to great effect.

Pros.

The demons

The scares

The ending

The atmosphere

Cons.

The first act

The main couple were bland

3.5/5

Reviewed by Luke

The Santa Clause 2: Santa Is On Tinder Will You Swipe Right?

The Santa Claus 2 is a Christmas, fantasy, comedy film directed by Michael Lembeck. The plot this time around sees Scott Calvin (Tim Allen), face the prospect of not being Santa Claus anymore after a clause is found within this contract that says that Father Christmas can’t be a bachelor: so as a result of this Jolly Old Saint Nick has to join the dating game and find a wife before the end of Christmas Eve.

The dating plotline in this film is troublesome for a number of reasons. Firstly, it is unlikely that either party could fall in love within such a short space of time, which means it is more likely that Scott is just using her to carry on being Santa Claus. Moreover, Carol (Elizabeth Mitchell), is just expected to uproot her life and move to the North Pole, which seems like a big ask, but hey the film just shows it as normal. Finally, old, fat Santa Claus can’t be with someone of equal footing, no that would not do with the Hollywood standard, of course it only makes sense for Santa Claus to be with someone who could be a supermodel if she chose another profession and she has to settle; what sort of message is that sending?

That aside.

I enjoyed the other plotline of Santa Clause 2, which is while Scott is off preying on vulnerable women, he is replaced by a toy replica Santa Claus who obviously becomes corrupt and evil. It amused me how far the film went in this absurdist direction even having the new evil Santa dressed up in fascist looking attire and creating secret police at one point. As I said in my previous Santa Claus review the dark plot undertones are the best parts of these films.

Once again Tim Allen is a strong lead, and despite the dating plotline being a bit sketchy we still enjoy seeing him on screen; he has a great presences. He very much anchors this film and it performance hinges on him and how you feel about his version of Chris Cringle.

Overall, the icky dating plotline stops this film from getting higher, but I enjoyed Tim Allen and the absurdist nature of the film and it made me laugh quite a few time. A mixed bag ultimately.

Pros.

Evil Santa

Tim Allen

It is funny

Cons.

The dating plotline

The sudden and unexplained character change in the son/ making him an angsty teen

3.5/5

Reviewed by Luke