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Reviews
It Comes at Night (2017)
Fearing the Unknown, A Misunderstood Film
(Rating as a movie) It Comes At Night is a very interesting film to say the least. A lot of these A24 films defy expectations perpetuated in their advertising in a way that frustrates the general audience, which makes it all the more tragic when good movies like this get trashed by people expecting something that it's not supposed to be. Did I think this movie was scary? At some points, yes. There was always a feeling in my gut that something wasn't right, despite the sense of security that the film was trying to create. That feeling was paranoia. This film portrays paranoia in a way that I'm not used to seeing in the modern horror genre, generating fear around things that the audience can't see. The cinematography is top notch, and the main characters were pretty likable for the most part. This film also has a lot of dark, tight corridors that really feel claustrophobic. The acting was really good, which made the characters pretty believable. I'd say my biggest criticisms are with the pacing of the characters. Characters team up and become best friends literally only hours after meeting one another. They could've easily fixed this by making it so that these two families were living side by side from the beginning, that way they wouldn't have to establish trust because they'd already have been in the picture prior to the events of the movie. I'm not going to be one of those people who gripes about nothing really coming at night, because I actually liked the whole concept of this invisible force ravaging this family, and the whole fear of the unknown, it's a lot more threatening than "oh no! Zombies!". I'll admit that this film is very slow burn, and if you're looking for an intense horror film from beginning to end, this is definitely not the film for you. I'm gonna give this one a 6/10. It's closer to a 7 than a 5.
The Texas Chainsaw Massacre 2 (1986)
Texas Chainsaw 2: How to Ruin a Franchise
(Rating as a movie) The Texas Chainsaw Massacre 2 is bad. I don't think I've seen a movie miss the mark more than this one. Everything that made the first movie so good was just stripped away in favor of a more "hip" experience that the kids could get behind. Yeah, it really didn't age well. This film is dumb. All of the kills are over the top, the chase scenes are ridiculous, and it just feels like all of the grittiness that made the first film so frightening is gone. The Texas Chainsaw Massacre 2 relies largely on gratuitous gore rather than imagination. Speaking of lack of creativity, the movie reuses the same exact climax and ending as the first film, following all of the same beats, but presenting it as "bigger and better" when in actuality it was just insulting to the people who appreciated the first movie. Leatherface is a joke in this film. Everything that made him threatening in the first film is taken away in favor of a goofier "funny" Leatherface, who they make a complete mockery of in this film. All of the characters in this movie are complete morons and make stupid choices that only serve to frustrate the audience. The only saving graces this movie have to offer are it's decent acting and good practical effects, make up, and set pieces. The cinematography is boring and lacks style. Overall, this movie is a train wreck. It's not scary, but honestly, I'd be lying if I said that it wasn't at least somewhat entertaining, in a bad way. I'm giving this one a 4/10. It's closer to a 3 than a 5.
Evil Genius: The True Story of America's Most Diabolical Bank Heist (2018)
A Thorough Documentary On A Truly Bizarre Crime
(Rating as a documentary) Evil Genius is a fascinating story with twists and turns that Shyamalan couldn't even come up with in his wildest fever dreams. The lengths this documentary go through to place every piece of this mystery together is astounding, from interviews with the perpetrators of the crime to the showing of a live execution nearly uncensored, this film makes sure that you know as much as it can make public. Based on a 2003 crime in which a hostage was sent to rob a bank with a live bomb on his chest, this film goes on an in depth analysis of the crime, and it even solves parts of the crime that the police/FBI weren't even aware of. It presented fresh information collected from years of hard work. The editing and cinematography was decent, and it did a good job of holding suspense throughout. Overall, this was a really good documentary with plenty of unexpected outcomes that I genuinely didn't see coming. I'm giving this one an 8/10.
The Texas Chain Saw Massacre (1974)
A Misunderstood Classic
(Rating as a movie) Personally, I believe that The Texas Chainsaw Massacre is one of the greatest, and often misunderstood slasher films ever made. Despite what people often perpetuate this film to be, The Texas Chainsaw Massacre is not about the gore or the killings. In fact, most of the kills in the movie are offscreen. The film, rather than showing you what happens to each of the unfortunate victims, cuts away before you see their true fate. This is a tactic used in many horror movies to effectively create suspense. This film has a very gritty feel, utilizing grainy film to make the movie feel all the more uncomfortable. This film also uses a lot of vibrant colors, giving it a unique style not often seen in other horror films, which often favor more grey and saturated color palettes. The disturbing set pieces and props add to the macabre theme of the film. The film also showcases some amazing practical effects and make up that made the whole movie feel all the more real. The antagonist of the film is genuinely terrifying, and is one of the best slasher icons to exist in media. The only issue I have with the film are that the main characters feel underdeveloped, and they just felt like meat puppets that existed to be killed by Leatherface. I really love this film. It's one of my favorite slasher movies and one of the best examples of what makes this genre so great. With all things considered, I'll be giving it a 7/10, I think it's closer to an 8 than it is a 6.
Mob Psycho 100 (2016)
When Animation Reaches 100%
(Rating as an anime) Mob Psycho 100 is a phenomenon, engineered by a culmination of many talented people to be the most visually stunning experience that it could be. It is impossible to truly praise Mob Psycho without mentioning the animation, as it is one of the key reasons that the show is so great. Every action scene is gorgeous, with every vibrantly colored flash of light complimenting each fluid movement, this show goes all out. Not only does this show have amazing visual effects and excellent fighting choreography, but it also has some of the most expressive characters I've ever seen. Facial expressions are actually expressive rather than stagnant and lifeless. The show also introduces a lot of unique visual gags that actually made me laugh quite a few times. There's a lot more to be said about the animation, but there's also much to say about the writing. Mob Psycho 100 is a charming coming of age story about a boy with psychic powers learning to grow as a person, so that one day he will no longer need to rely on his psychic abilities. Mob is not physically strong, smart, popular, or attractive. He's socially awkward, and he wants nothing more than to be noticed by his peers. Despite all of his shortcomings, he never uses his psychic powers to attract attention to himself, in order to prove to himself that he is worth more than the powers that were handed to him. All of the conflicts in this show center around Mob's emotions. It's extremely charming and it leads to a lot of powerful moments that are genuinely moving. The show also has a pretty good sense of humor, with clever jokes placed throughout the show that have gotten a lot of genuine laughs from me. It's obvious that a lot of passion was put into Mob Psycho 100, and I'm rating it an 8/10.
The VVitch: A New-England Folktale (2015)
Disturbing Take on Puritan Folktales
(Rating as a movie) After watching The Witch, I felt something in my stomach. It was a feeling that I rarely feel after watching a film. The feeling that this movie created in my stomach was dread. Is this movie scary? I think so. But it wasn't the actual witch that had me sweating throughout the the film, rather, it was the psychological torment that the main characters were going through during the events of the movie. Seeing each character break down into madness was haunting, and was only complimented by the amazing soundtrack that added an extra layer of tension to each scene. The characters were extremely well written, each with their own motivations, fears, and flaws. The acting in this movie is fantastic, and never at any point did I not believe any of the characters, they were all portrayed very well, and even the child actors did a pretty good job. The whole film takes place around one small house, which creates a feeling of isolation and hopelessness, which is complimented by the film's ugly, grey color palette and dark lighting. Disturbing things happen throughout the film, but despite this, the film never relied on cheap gore to shock audiences, but rather sets up a disturbing canvas, and asks the viewer to paint the rest of the picture. It leaves the most disturbing moments up to interpretation, and as a result, made them more impactful to the audience. This psychological build up continues to grow until the very end, at which point the film just pours out all of the madness that it's built up for the audience to witness. I wouldn't classify The Witch as a horror, but rather, a dark drama with disturbing elements of horror sprinkled in. As a movie, I'd rate The Witch 10/10.
JoJo no Kimyô na Bôken (2012)
Uniquely Bizarre
(Rating as an anime) I don't think I've seen a show quite like JoJo's Bizarre Adventure. The show sits currently at 4 seasons (5 parts), and it remains fresh and unique. The animation (while there's some weak points) is for the most part, really good. Most of the fights are extremely interesting. They usually involve outwitting an opponent using their unique ability and the environment rather than pure strength, and it makes this fresh experience that I'm not used to seeing in a show about fighting. Characters are well written and fleshed out, and each have their own unique personality that really brings the show to life. I don't think there was really ever a point that I was bored. However, the first 9 episodes are probably the weakest. Episodes 1-9 (based off of the part titled "Phantom Blood") is as generic as the show gets. The characters are forgettable, especially the protagonist, Jonathan, whose main traits can be boiled down to "I'm a nice guy". Another criticism that I have with the show is that sometimes characters win battles with stupid conveniences, there are plenty of fights that characters use abilities that they've never used before, and never use again. It always felt like they were included just to give the character an edge in that specific situation. Other than that, I don't really have any other massive criticisms that I want to address. Overall, it's a great show and I'm giving it a 7/10. It's closer to an 8 than a 6.