28 Years Later: A Scottish Man Managing To Outrun Hordes Of People

Summary

The Americans take over London.

So this film is a lot better than I remember it being. Distinctly as a younger man I remember liking Days Later more but now after having seen Weeks Later as I am slightly older it is far closer. I think this film is far more realised, in that I mean it feels more expansive it feels more like a complete world, whereas in Days it feels very confined.

The opening scene in the cottage is fantastic, the tension and the way Robert Carlisle’s character runs away as the music swells is the epitome of tension and the shaky cam here works really well to add to that very manic energy. This would be one of the things I would say Years Later struggles with and that is that it tries to move away from this sort of energy and go for a more meditative tone at times and one has to ask how in keeping with the franchise is it.

The military criticism here was well used, rather than coming across heavy handedly it feels as though it naturally builds upon the mistrust of the army from the first film. Though the infected are threatening, particularly in the opening scene, I think the more harrowing moments of the film come from things like watching the army use chemical weapons against civilians.

Overall, I would argue this is better than Years and could well rival Days.

4.5/5

Pros.

The tension

The commentary

The world

The ways in which it builds on the original

The cinematography

Cons.

The child characters are irritating and do irritating things

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Hallow Road: The Worries Of Being A Parent

Summary

A couple find themselves in a position that no parents ever want to be in.

So Rosamund Pike and Matthew Rhys are fantastic here, a lot of the film is the car journey to find where there troubled daughter has broken down in the woods, and much like with Locke a hell of a lot of the meat of the film comes from there conversations and facial acting during these tight scenes and scenes over the phone.

As the night begins to unfold and it turns out the daughter hit and kill someone and then with what follows the film takes a turn that you likely won’t expect but is not wholly unpleasant. As it veers off into the supernatural it oddly works within the world created by the film, though I would say that I think Irish folklore is beginning to become a bit tapped out at this point.

The ending of the film is quite bleak but also has a trippy component to it which leaves you asking questions at the end of the film as you pick your head back up off the floor.

Overall, well-acted and with a good supernatural twist.

4/5

Pros.

It is well acted

The horror works within the world

The end leaves open some intriguing questions

Genuine tension

Cons.

Irish folklore is becoming a bit overplayed

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Together: Dave Franco And Alison Brie Should Probably Break Up

Summary

A couple learn very obvious lessons about co-dependence. The irony being that both of these lead actors are actually in a relationship in real life and are now playing a couple on screen and well its ironic.

So I will give this film one thing it does have one particularly effective moment, and it takes place in a children’s school toilet cubicle, once you have seen it and thought through the implications of it then you will be scarred for life. However, that is really the only thing I can praise the film for.

The commentary on co-dependent couples which it ends up justifying at the end, is nothing new. In many sense this film reminds me a lot of Night Bitch the Amy Adam’s film from the end of last year, it has an interesting premise but uses it to deliver fairly boilerplate commentary that feels incredibly obvious.

Franco and Brie as a couple in this film really seem ill suited and unlike in other similar films where you are rooting for them to stay together through it all here you desperately think they should be apart.

Overall, not as smart or inventive as it thinks it is.

1.5/5

Pros.

An interesting idea

One harrowing moment

Cons.

Brie and Franco have no chemistry

The commentary is pedestrian

It is boring

The ending feels contrived

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Bring Her Back: Using Pee For Gaslighting

Summary

A woman, Sally Hawkins, goes to extreme lengths to bring back her dead daughter.

So I enjoyed this film for the fairly basic thriller that it is, there are so good twists and turns and it does not go the way you necessarily think it would. However, the issue for me from this perspective is the fact that the writing is quite weak in terms of justifications. Why did Hawkin’s character pick the central duo out of all the children in care, why did the demon knowingly kill itself at the end? These are questions that the film does not give us answers for.

The film sets up this demonic cult through a video tape that Hawkin’s character watches and as the film goes along and you see more of the tape and you think it would be interesting to explore this idea a bit more, the film immediately stops mentioning them. When Hawkin’s character goes to do the ritual are the cult present as clearly based on the video you need a number of people to carry it out? Nope. She does it on her own. One cannot help but feel like the cult was an undelivered promise.

Whilst I find the demon stuff interesting I do wish they would have shown us more of the little boy doing these creepy and extreme things, as the film itself shows some of this but stops itself from going further, which I feel like it needed to.

Overall, an interesting premise and a few good scares don’t come together to be anything special in a disappointing follow up to Talk To Me.

2.5/5

Pros.

Some good gore

A few scares

Sally Hawkins is always fantastic

Cons.

The cult stuff is not properly used

The writing is weak

The ending is very meh

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Weapons: Putting Naruto Running To Shame

Summary

A group of school children go missing and a concerned and blamed teacher, Julia Garner, sets out to find the answers.

I would advise you to go in blind to this, the less you know the better. This review will spoil things, I’ll keep the reveal near the bottom of the page so it is unlikely you will immediately see it, and I am letting you know so you can look away and come back later.

I think stylistically this is a strong film and in terms of originality this is one of the few films this year that does feel like something new. However, there are tonal problems, perhaps this was by design, or perhaps not. There are moments of the film where things are very clearly scary and supposed to be, and then there are other moments where things almost become a comedy and these two states of being do clash.

I enjoyed the cross over story path and how the film is subdivided into different sections based on different characters with each providing context to what you had seen before or would soon see. There was one key character that did not get a chapter even though I think she really should have, and I think this lack of backstory made the film have a few plot holes as a result.

The reveal of the witch at the end of the film and her magical powers came out of nowhere, the film does not present for the most part as a supernatural film and when it does go in that direction it works and makes sense. It also provides some good scares, however, the ending wherein she is entirely removed from being this fearsome villain and is chased through houses by a pack of feral kids is definitely not the right note to end on as it reduces her into being almost a comedy villain.

Overall, a good if imperfect film, the tonal issues and plot holes stop it from being the film of the summer.

4/5

Pros.

It is scary

It has a great sense of style

It feels original

It is inventive

Cons.

The ending breaks the tone of the film

There are too many loose ends and plot holes

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28 Years Later: Running Across Causeways

Summary

I had been looking forward to this film for a long time.

I have to say straight off the bat that I am a little disappointed, however, I will say that this is the first of a new trilogy and there is every chance that the next two films can fix some of the issues I had with this film.

Despite feeling disappointed with this film broadly, there are a lot of interesting new characters and the performances are all top notch, I don’t think there is one bad performance amongst the cast. Moreover, the world is vast and incredibly interesting to explore, from the beginning in the remote Scottish Highlands to the Holy Island community there is a lot there to work with.

I also thought the initial action sequences and the hunting section of the film landed perfectly and felt like edge of your seat fare. There is some odd cinematography and editing that feels a little more like an art film, you can see Garland’s instincts in that, but I thought this worked well and helped to give it almost a disorienting feel to it that added to the threat. However, within the hunting sequences we are introduced to the alphas and the evolution of the virus. These alpha infected can think and are harder to kill than other infected, very little is given into why they are this way I imagine that will be got to later in the trilogy, but they are kind of lame. The main reason why I say this is because they just have one move and that is to rip people’s head’s off, I would have liked more out of them than that, such as more examples of their education and ability to outwit people possibly.

In addition you also had the infected that gave birth to a none infected, which feels like we are heading into an art house direction of oh the infected are not so different to us and maybe we can find a way to co-exist, maybe at a later date an alpha might join the heroes side. This would be a terrible direction to head into. That scene in which the pregnant infected would not kill Jodie Cormer’s character despite her being right there breaks the lore and makes little sense. Just because they are both mothers does not mean she would not rip her head off.

The ending with the Jimmy Saville esque gang is a hell of a controversial way to end on.

Overall, a good film if a little disappointing.

4/5

Pros.

It has some good horror

The world feels dense and real

It sets things up nicely for the sequels

The performances

Cons.

The style at times

The art house elements

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The Last Of Us Season Two Overview: The Flaws Of Bella Ramsey

Summary

We return to the fungal zombie apocalypse.

So as someone who has played the games I knew what was coming and I will give the show props from not shying away from it. The death of Joel, Pedro Pascal, was controversial when the games came out and I knew it would be just the same here. Looking at the shows plunging ratings it is pretty clear that a number of people have checked out but I think if the show had saved it for the end of the season it would only have been worse.

I think the thing that has become glaringly clear in this second season is that Bella Ramsey is not a very strong actress and is struggling to carry the show on her own. They are becoming more and more reliant on Joel flashbacks and will no doubt have him appear as sort of grief induced visions over the third season to keep Pedro around. I think last season Ramsey’s inabilities were not so on view as they are here, but it is becoming ever more clear she was the wrong choice to play the character.

Moreover, I feel the pacing this time around feels slow, in many senses it feels like they are trying to stretch out the second game into three seasons to try and take it for all it is worth. I understand the idea to have one season from each of the girl’s points of view, but it does reek of filler. I wonder what the ratings will be like when it does come back.

Overall, very much like the game it started off well and then fell off a cliff.

2/5

Pros.

A few good scenes

It is interesting to learn more about the world

Cons.

Ramsey

It is using Joel too much as a crutch

The pacing

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I Know What You Did Last Summer: Bashing Men Is Bad For Your Box Office Who Knew

Summary

Screams little brother gets another go at things.

This film was a hugely mixed bag for me.

On the one hand there was some cheer worthy moments here and some funny scenes but on the other there was a deliberate attempt to bait the audience and a twist that makes little sense.

To the good first, it was nice seeing Jennifer Love Hewitt and Freddie Prinze Jr back, and it was nice that this film had so much reverence for the original films. I also liked Chase Sui Wonders as the lead character and thought her friendship with Danica, Madelyn Cline, was the heart and soul of the film. The scene where it appeared as if Danica was dead was genuinely upsetting. However, this fondness was undone with the line from Wonder’s character’ and to think this all could have been avoided if men just went to therapy’. Now the killer of the film was Stevie, Sarah Pidgeon, a woman who after the gang killed her boyfriend decided to seek out Ray’s help. The reason why this final line is so infuriating is the killer is female, Rey helped but he did not set her on that path she did it all of her own accord, but rather than say that it has to be an open attempt to bash men. Why is all I can say to this? What did they think this line was going to achieve, whilst horror has a big female viewership the majority are still men.

There are also a lot of modern dayisms in the film, the main character is BI, as Hollywood thinks everyone is pan, there is needless teen drama, and there is a hell of a lot of therapy speak. In fact Danica’s soon to be husband is killed whilst she is in the bath listening to a motivational podcast, which adds a whole new spin to that line about men going to therapy, and feels like after Wonder’s character said it maybe Danica should have challenged it, as her walking that road meant she could not save her husband to be.

A hypocritical message to the end.

Overall, I was enjoying the film to some extent until that line right at the end of the film, it felt so needless and antagonistic that it really did make me leave the film with a bad taste in my mouth.

2.5/5

Pros.

Reverence for the original films

You do care about the characters

Bringing back the original stars

Cons.

The modern dayisms

The line about men needing therapy

How they bring back Freddie Prinze Jr only to have him be one of the villains

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Final Destination Bloodlines: The Franchise Does Not Escape Death

Summary

A family finds out they are living on borrowed time.

So I am a big fan of the Final Destination franchise and thought that a new film had a lot of potential to be good. However, after seeing it I was left sorely disappointed.

This is mainly due to the fact that outside of the return of Bloodsworth, Tony Todd, this film in no way feels connected to any of the previous films. Considering how the other films are somewhat referential and take place at least partially within a loop, I would have liked a broader connection to the other films.

Moreover, the idea of death going after bloodlines that should not exist directly contradicts the series lore that new life can stop death. Not only that but I take an if it isn’t broke don’t fix it sort of feeling to the film, wherein the idea of someone having a premonition about their death and stopping it works much better than what we got here. It makes little sense why the granddaughter of a woman who had a premonition would be sharing her vision years later. It would have made more in universe sense for her to have had a vision of her own death, and then when everyone thinks she’s crazy her granny shows up and goes it happened to me too.

In addition I had an issue with the tone of the film as it didn’t know whether it wanted to be tongue in cheek and a bit more jokey with it or whether it wanted to play it deadly serious. As it stands the film tries to do both and in turn we get the worst of both worlds.

Overall, a very average film only made better with the addition of the late great Tony Todd.

2.5/5

Pros.

Tony Todd gets a wonderful final scene

The ending kill

It has some promise it just doesn’t realise

Cons.

The tone is a mess

It doesn’t connect to previous films

It contradicts series lore

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The Corpse Washer: The Dead Are Never Really Gone

Summary

A series of mysterious deaths cause a commotion in small town Indonesia.

I am a big fan of Indonesian horror, and even I have to say this one was on the weaker end of the national sub-genre for me. I just thought that it was a little all over the place, despite having a few good moments the monster was not really properly explained at it was hard to figure out what was going on.

Adding to this confusion is the fact that this film is very badly paced, there is a lot of exposition and characters and it is hard to keep track of what is what and who is who. Where something like May The Devil Take You works is that it has a small number of characters and is more of a personal story, this features a village full of people and starts to spread itself far too thin.

The horror is more on the gore side than the atmospheric so personally I didn’t find it particularly scary but if gore is your thing then maybe you could find something to enjoy here.

2/5

Pros.

The freshness

Some good gore

Cons.

The pace

Too many characters

It is hard to follow

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