Creature Design and Scary Stories to Tell in the Dark

Across all of Horror Cinema, there have been a collection of creatures that have not only captured the imagination but, also terrified. These creatures have all been practical, not CGI. When you think of monsters like The Creeper from Jeepers Creepers, their looks sticks out because of how well designed and realistic it is. Creature design and attention to detail can mean the difference between a terrifying horror movie villain and a joke. It’s on that note I talk about the subject of today’s review Scary Stories to Tell in the Dark.
Scary Stories to Tell in the Dark is a horror film; based on the children’s books of the same name. The plot of the film revolves around a group of teenagers that find a book in an abandoned house, the curious leader of the group Stella, (Zoe Colletti), decides to take the book home; a decision she will regret forever. Once she takes it home and looks through it, stories start to appear on their own; targeting her and her friends.
Going into this film, I was expecting something akin to the Goosebumps film of a few years ago; with the stories coming to life and running amuck; how wrong I was. The stories that come to life feel personal and precisely tailored to each character, as the book plays off each one of their fears, whereas, in the other film, it was merely random. The scares work well and, though there are a few jump scares peppered throughout, there is also a keen scene of atmosphere and dread which permeates the film. However, the most praiseworthy aspect of the film’s horror is by far the creature design. Now there are several creatures in this film, as it is broken down in a collection of short stories, with a broader narrative to bind them all. Each separate creature is unique, and it is plain to see how much care has been put into them down to the smallest detail. This is no doubt the influence of producer Guillermo del Toro, who is known for his love of practical monsters. I believe these villains are the films greatest strength and help it to stand apart from the 1000 other generic horror films with forgettable monsters and demons.
The characters, unlike the monsters, are all rather one-note, being dull and nonmemorable. The group of kids never really graduate from the teenage outcast stereotype and, are more caricatures; you won’t remember who any of the characters are 5 seconds after the film ends and, you won’t remember their names during it. That said, the film is on the whole incredibly well done and impressive, even the low age rating doesn’t take away from the film, as it does in some cases, the horror and the deaths are all well-executed and chilling without the need for excessive gore, and I think that says a lot to the film’s credit.
Overall this was a horror film where you can tell the people making it care, the creature design speaks to that, it masters the subtle art of scares so entirely that you will be thinking of the film’s monsters long after you’ve gone home, shame the same can’t be said for the characters; this may well be the horror hit of the summer, and I for one can’t wait for more scary stories to tell in the dark,
4.5/5
Reviewed by Luke

Searching

Searching follows a father after the disappearance of his daughter; as he frantically realises, that he didn’t know his daughter very well at all. The film plays on the themes of family and, the effect grief can have on the parent-child relationship. It does this through the lens of modern technology, having a similar layout to Unfriended; with social media messaging and live chats being pivotal.

However, unlike Unfriended were this all-digital format added to the overall film, here the opposite is true. The need for everything to be on a phone screen or webcam is limiting, sometimes frustratingly so; with it even becoming a detriment at times.

The writing for the film is solid throughout with twists and turns that you won’t see coming, is it on the level of something like Gone Girl? Well no but few things can be, but a lot is done to make the mystery intriguing.

Main protagonist David Kim, (John Cho), is believable but unlikeable, particularly in his early film relationship with Margot with it feeling awkward, but I suppose that is the point. He isn’t supposed to be likeable instead he is supposed to be the embodiment of the desperation, a man that has had his whole world taken from him and will do anything to get it back.

The character of Detective Vick, (Debra Messing), is superbly done, with her development meaningfully adding to the third act twist.

The film does suffer from pacing issue, many times I felt myself losing interest, these moments are few and far between, but are still present throughout.

Overall it is a solid thriller mystery, not one I would say rush out and see, however, the writing and, the strong performances stop it from being mediocre. Ultimately better than meh, but certainly not worthy of the Hitchcock comparisons.

3/5.

Reviewed by Luke.

Yardie

Yardie is a crime film focusing on Dennis “D” Campbell, (Aml Ameen), as he deals with his brother’s death and begins a quest to find those responsible; so far so generic. I wish I could say it gets better from there– it doesn’t. Yardie marks the direction debut of Idris Elba; this prospect made the hopeful for the film.

However, though the film itself is well-directed everything else is just bland, making this film a huge disappointment. Narratively the film is contrived with there being a plethora of redundant character choices. Namely shown when D has to leave Jamaica because he is about to start a gang war, how, is never really explained. The same applies to other parts of the film, such as when one of the rival gangsters kidnaps D’s daughter, only to then give her back; maybe 10 minutes later. Ultimately the narrative leaves you going, “wait what”, a lot more than it should.

Furthermore, from the trailers of Yardie, I believed there was at least an element of character study to the film, but that couldn’t be further from the truth. The characters are all incredibly underdeveloped, with there being nothing to set them apart from characters in any other crime film. Even the protagonist D is boring, easily replaceable and not so easily remembered.

The most egregious flaw of the film is that it has no edge, it plays it safe, perhaps too much, even being overly sentimental at times. I believe the film tries to use this sentimentality in place of actual emotional resonances which, if true, shows almost a misunderstanding of the genre.

Furthermore, the constant slip in accent that some of the characters have is laughable, but it is not meant to be.

To conclude, the problem with Yardie is just how boring and forgettable it is, though there are some small positives, Yardie is a film that you would turn off halfway through if you were watching it at home.

1/5

Reviewed by Luke

The Happytime Murders

The Happytime Murders is a crime comedy film featuring puppets. That is all you need to know. The main plot focuses on former partners, Philips voiced by, (Bill Barretta) and Edwards, (Melissa McCarthy), who have to work together again to solve a series of murders. The film’s main aim seems to be to disprove the idea that puppets are synonyms with family-friendly fun, why it wants to do this is anyone’s guess. Does it work? Well, that I can answer for you, no it most certainly doesn’t.

Before I carry on, I want to say that I had low expectations for this film; in that regard, the film did manage to surpass my ideas about it, even making me laugh a few times. However, it is not a good film or one I would recommend, simply put, when compared to McCarthy’s other 2018 work, Life of the Party– it is merely a small step up.

First, this is a film no one asked for, throughout the film’s entire runtime it never gave any justification for its existence; beyond being solely for the money. Feeling needless in the worst way.

The plot and story feel like a rehashing of genre tropes, with nothing new added to them, lacking all the charm of other genre films such as the Nice Guys. The screenplay places an emotional significance on the fallout between Edwards and Phillips, even having flashbacks. These are to little effect as each emotional beat of the arc feels played out and predictable. This is not helped at all by the fact that Edwards and Phillips have no chemistry, none, watching their back and forths is often painful and unfunny.

Melissa McCarthy is forgettable and mildly annoying here, she brings very little to the role; with her jokes feeling straight to DVD quality. Conversely, Elizabeth Banks’ portrayal of Jenny, Phillips old flame, is one of the highlights of the film; though she is in my opinion sorely underused. To me, that is the criminal issue with this film, the good elements, such as Banks’ character and the world building, are ignored in favour of the formulaic, generic buddy cop cliches that have been done a million times before.

Finally, the humour of the film is needlessly profane, feeling done just for the sake of it rather than for the comedy. A lot of the jokes in the film will not make you laugh; with it being the serious moments that are often the funniest.

Overall this film fails as it tries overly to be edgy, being bland and boring in the process; nothing more than a collection of the Pulp Detective genre’s worst tropes. Not worth your time or money.

1/5

Reviewed by Luke

Black Klansman

BlacKkKlansman is a crime drama film, focusing on how police officer Ron Stallworth, (John David Washington), infiltrated the Ku Klux Klan.

This film is riveting on many levels right from the beginning, while the plot and the dialogue also being superb throughout. Furthermore, all the characters featured are complex, this is something to be praised as it could have devolved into a collection of caricatures, but this film avoids that. The arc and emotional journey we see Ron go on is both believable, while also feeling very raw. Ron is a fantastic character and one you root for from the beginning. It is this bond that helps to elevate the tension in the film, as there are sequences where Ron and his partner Flip, (Adam Driver), are in real danger, and you can’t help but worry about them.

The political nature of the film is its greatest strength. The message that screams out throughout is one of, is this the society we want to live in. The film brings you face to face with uncomfortable truths- no apology given. Perhaps best emphasised by the closing montage sequence, which may be one of the pieces of editing all year, during this sequence it is made clear that the issues depicted have not just gone away.

The performances are top rate, with John David Washington and Adam Driver both being outstanding. However, it is not only the main actors who shine, Corey Hawkins’ performance as Kwame Ture is also superb. BlacKkKlansman is a film that proves you can have fully developed, interesting side characters, who can have small roles and a clear narrative significance.

The only minor issue of the film is the amount of time it dedicates to the Ron Patrice relationship subplot, which doesn’t lead anywhere. Both characters are great with Patrice, (Laura Harrier), being outstanding: it is because of how good the characters are that this romance sub-plot almost feels like a disservice.

To conclude this film works so well because the passion behind it is evident. It is striking and thought-provoking, in the best way; moreover, it serves as both a fantastic film and social commentary; leaving you with a lot to think about for days after seeing it. A must watch.

4/5

Reviewed by Luke

The Equalizer 2

The Equalizer 2 is an action film and sequel to the 2014 film. This entry takes place sometime after the events of the first film, and other than a few minor supporting characters returning doesn’t connect. The main plot this time around focuses on Robert McCall, (Denzel Washington) as he investigates the death of his last remaining friend Susan, (Melissa Leto). What follows is a mostly predictable mystery. You will realise who is the villain about 20 minutes before the film reveals it; it is that obvious, in that, we are shown the main issue with the film- the writing.

The film’s first act is painfully slow; there are a few teases for things to come, and some very well-choreographed action sequences, but on the whole, there is nothing of substance for the first 30 minutes. As well as this we are introduced to a lot of supporting characters, all of whom have nothing to add to the main story, outside of showing that Mr McCall still helps people. As you can imagine they are all paper thin; serving as little more than filler.

Moreover, the film’s villain Dave York, (Pedro Pascal), is about as bland as they come, with his motivations never rising above the generic,” I’m doing it for the money”, his character also seems woefully insignificant when compared to McCall; making it hard to believe they are supposed to be on the same skill level.

That is another thing about this film, McCall’s skillset seems to vary wildly throughout the film, sometimes to almost a superhuman degree; being at points more than a little unbelievable. This film if you think about it too closely makes little sense, but that’s a good thing. In this case, a lot of the enjoyment comes from the cheesy, nonsensical things that happen, such as the strange almost at times out of place editing; at one point in the film as McCall walks down a street the camera flips upside down for no real reason. It is in these moments that the film shines, becoming something more akin to a cheesy action B movie, revelling in the weird and the bizarre. However, these moments are few and far between.

Denzel Washington gives a superb performance always elevating every scene he is in; being by far the best actor in the film.

To conclude there are moments where this film shines, where the B movieness slips out. However, the rest of the film rots within the confines of a generic action thriller. Featuring the most needless supporting characters possibly ever.

2.5/5

Reviewed by Luke

Mission Impossible Fallout

Mission Impossible Fallout is the latest film in the series and the sequel to 2015’s Rogue Nation. Now a lot of you may have heard all the reviews saying that this is the best instalment in the series; that I believe is an accurate surmise. The reasons as to why Fallout is so good is two-fold, firstly it carries on the superb quality of the last few Mission Impossible film, with the eye-catching and gut-wrenching action choreography being evidence of that. Secondly, it strikes a bold and bloody tone straight from the off, one that works masterfully. More to the film’s praise all the performances are top-notch, with Tom Cruise still being very believable as Ethan Hunt; even after all these years. Moreover, Cruise does not disappoint fans who come looking for death-defying stunts, with there being plenty throughout; even more so than in previous instalments. In addition, Rebecca Ferguson returns from Rogue Nation as Ilsa Faust, bringing with her a plot ruffle that helps to add an international air to the storyline overall. To add to that the romantic relationship between Faust and Hunt is built upon, and unlike many others, I think this is done very well and feels natural and organic. Also, the newer additions to the cast are all outstanding, especially Vanessa Kirby’s White Widow, who brings with her the classic feelings of the femme fatale. Henry Cavil’s Walker is also an interesting sub- antagonist and a clear psychical match for Cruise. The plot, overall, is compelling and has many twists and turns; as one would expect from a Mission Impossible film. However, it also suffers from being overstuffed, with there being many plot lines that feel like they have no purpose. Chief amongst these is the return of Hunt’s wife Julia, (Michelle Monaghan), this return for me doesn’t work as it undercuts all that the film sets up between Hunt and Ilsa. What’s more the conversation between Hunt, Julia and her new husband in the film’s third act, doesn’t provide closure or raise the stakes as it may have been intended to, but instead serves to dampen the tension. Furthermore, there are dream sequences which feature the film’s true antagonist Solomon Lane, (Sean Harris), which seem oddly out of place. That being said the non-dream scenes that Lane is in are all superbly acted with Harris being a fantastic villain. Sadly, the same can’t be said for the supporting cast who mostly feel wasted this time around. This is especially true of Angela Bassett’s Erica Sloane who outside of a few brief scenes is barely featured. Overall despite the film’s issues and a needlessly over-bloated run-time, Fallout is without a doubt the best film in the Mission impossible series, and I really recommend you see it.

4/5

Reviewed by Luke

The Secret of Marrowbone

The Secret of Marrowbone follows the lives of a family who move to America to escape their past; to say more would be to ruin the film. Before I begin this review, I just want to say that this film has been mis-marketed in the worst way, The Secret of Marrowbone has far more in common with thrillers and dramas then it does anything in the horror genre. Though that is not to say that there aren’t horror elements in the film, there are, and they work incredibly well, just that’s not it’s defining genre. The film has an eerie atmosphere almost from the get-go, with it being strikingly clear something isn’t right. The film has a first act time jump which could have been a little contrived but, is employed cleverly to build the mystery. The script is very solid, with the characters being distinct and well used. The script does have issues though, firstly due to the heavy focus on Jack, (George MacKay), his siblings Billy, (Charlie Heaton), Jane, (Mia Goth) and Sam, (Matthew Stagg), are all quite underused. This is also true of the female lead, Allie, (Anya Taylor- Joy) however, despite this underutilisation all the cast give great performances; especially Taylor- Joy. The other issue is the end twist, which comes across as overly complicated and feels as though it has been designed to leave you somewhat scratching your head. Despite this, the film is fantastic: as it bucks genre trends constantly changing and being anything other than predictable. Where this film could have been a standard haunted house tale, it is instead so much more. The themes and ideas that this film explores are incredibly deep and harrowing, to name but a few mental illnesses, family and the idea of the evil going on unseen around us all play a part. The end reveals along with Jack’s emotional arc, end the film on a very satisfying note. To conclude, this was not the film I was expecting to see, it both shocked and thrilled me in equal measure. This is a very deep thoughtful film, and one that I think needs to be seen; despite its flaws.

3/5

Reviewed by Luke.

Skyscraper

Do you like Die Hard? Do you like Assault on Precinct 13? Skyscraper is like those just without the humour, brain or soul. Skyscraper is a film about a group of criminals who start a fire in a Skyscraper, so they can steal back a list of names, that threatens to expose their crime syndicate; and of course, Will Sawyer, (Dwayne Johnson), and his family gets caught in the thick of it. Does that sound ridiculous to you? Well, it should because Skyscraper is without a doubt the dumbest film of 2018. Things start off badly and get worse, the first act is a mess of contrived overplayed backstory, and hollow characters. Chief among these is Ben, (Pablo Schreiber), who is not even a character, more a poorly disguised plot device; being laughably underused then killed off. Then, the criminals decide to frame Sawyer, for no real reason, this combined with the fact that they have set the entire Skyscraper on fire to try and steal a USB drive, leaves you groaning and asking why. Those are just a few examples of the stupidest and perhaps even the worst script of 2018. Then you have the blatant product placement throughout the film which is downright offensive, think last years Power Rangers was product placement too far, well let me tell you this is a worse example. The characters, for the most part, are shallow, underdeveloped and ultimately frustrating. Characters such as Sarah Sawyer, (Neve Campbell), make decisions no one else would make in that situation, she leaves the Skyscraper with her son with no mention, not even one, about her daughter. However, the films one positive comes from its leads, Johnson and Campbell both give great performances, though the latter is given very little to work with, they also both have a great deal of chemistry together. Johnson is playing Johnson, just like always, but that isn’t a bad thing at least not if you like The Rocks usual work, he sells the right amount of emotion to make the moments feel more than they should do, considering the poor writing. There are other positives too such as some impressive visual effects sequences, the mirror sequences in the pearl itself look beautiful. However, this is offset by some very lacking choreography at times, such as the fight sequence that happens in the back of a police car between Sarah and Xia, (Hannah Quinlivan), in which the action is barely even visible. Overall, this film feels incredibly dated, if it had come out in the 1990’s or early 2000’s it would be right at home, but in 2018 with many other better blockbusters coming out, it comes across as soulless and hollow. Skyscraper chooses spectacle over everything else, and it loses for it. The script issues, laughably weak characters, rip off nature and a whole host of other issues stop me from being able to recommend this one.
1.5/5
Reviewed by Luke

Sicario 2 Soldado

Sicario 2 Soldado, follows the efforts of Matt Graver, (Josh Brolin) and Alejandro, (Benicio del Toro) in their war with the Mexican Cartels. The plot focuses on Washington’s renewed effort to wipe out the Cartels, as such, they bring in Graver and Alejandro. What follows is 122 minutes of pure adrenaline and suspense, which never relents, it starts off with 2 suicide bombings and it carries on from there. As such the tone of the film is jet black, with all the characters being wrapped in shades of grey. For anyone worried that the acting wouldn’t be as strong because Emily Blunt didn’t return, fear not! Brolin’s Graves is menacing and chews up every piece of scenery he gets. Furthermore, del Toro’s Alejandro is fantastic, with him being paired with a cartel bosses daughter for most of the film. Said Cartel boss’s daughter is played to perfection by Isabela Moner, as we see her go on an emotional journey after her kidnapping. The surrogate parent angle, that del Toro’s character is given is oddly enthralling throughout. However, the acting is let down by Elijah Rodriguez’s character of Miguel. Said character is terrible as he only manages to have one facial expression for the entire film, which when compared him to Moner, the other child actor of the film; you see how flawed his performance is. Sicario 2 wastes minutes by cutting away from the main plot to focus on Miguel’s side story, which is boring. Overall the film feels very timely, with current events being what they are, and I truly believe that this adds an extra dimension to the film. Moreover, this film carries on the impressive action sequences of the first film, with each sequence being captured with ruthless efficiency, showing all the horrid splendour. On that note, this film’s gore is used to show how gritty the cartel world is and how in it youth and innocence are lost. Finally, the score for the film is also incredibly well used, being memorable and really wrenching up the suspense. Overall this is an amazing action thriller, and it is one anyone can enjoy. To conclude this may be one of the best sequels of 2018.

4/5

Reviewed by Luke