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Reviews
The Magic Prank Show with Justin Willman: Oversleeping the Apocalypse (2024)
What a poor way to end.
It's unfortunate that I have to write this but the use of hypnotism in such a way to fake a show (that up until now has actually been refreshing) is a concern. It makes me wonder whether the whole series was just all set up and fake?
My Father got hypnotised in the 90's by a renowned hypnotist at the time and it took him many many years to finally reveal to me that it was all set up. He was famously on stage, he was picked before the show, went up voluntarily and went along with it. Since then nobody will ever convince me that hypnotism is real (not to mention the absolute tragic acting, along with the fact I'd you fell asleep standing up you would instantly fall down as your body loses its ability to maintain balance without a conscious effort) and this just compromises the integrity of all of the cast, which is a huge shame.
Whoever decided to take this route.... You made a tragic call.
Unsolved Mysteries: My Paranormal Partner (2024)
Sorry, but you're not fooling anyone
My biggest gripe, which is probably the most solid fact I can express (and for you to consider whilst watching this episode)... If an entity such as Becky has appeared back from the dead to whisper psychic knowledge, gruesome suspicions etc whilst in creepy buildings with good ole Dom, then where are all the other entities at?? There have been estimated over 100 billion human deaths since the start of mankind, surely they would be everyone whispering sweet nothings into our ears all day!? Or is it only a self-proclaimed ghost hunter (and other whacky believers) who get the privilege of having them around? Pffft yeah right.
I like to be open in my train of thought throughout life, but unfortunately this is one to skip, or watch for comedic value, you choose.
I Saw the TV Glow (2024)
I Saw my TV bleed
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"I Saw the TV Glow" is one of the most disappointing films I've seen in a long time. I went in with an open mind, hopeful for something unique, and while the premise had potential, the execution was abysmal.
Although the acting itself was decent, the plot was a confusing mess. The characters felt flat, and the supposed horror (if you can call them that) elements were more laughable than scary. The film attempts to embrace an indie style, but instead of coming off as artfully niche, it's just frustratingly incoherent. Rather than delivering captivating visuals or an eerie atmosphere, the movie ends up feeling like a chaotic jumble of clichés and overused tropes.
I would've had a better chance of seeing my TV bleed than witnessing it glow during this one.
I Am: Celine Dion (2024)
You won't like my take, but it's the truth, please understand
Firstly, I'm a male in my 30's and I'm writing this review at a time I have a 6-12 month life expectancy, with a 2-3% chance of living for another 2-3 years. I won't talk about me anymore, but I'm not in a good place let's just say that. Let's talk about Celine's health as that's all she seems to do for the whole time. This could've been something magical, inspiring and showing her optimism for dealing with her condition, after what is an extremely privileged life she's led with her magical voice and talent.
Celine has private nurses and physios come to her house daily for hours to go through a rehab and exercises, yet I had to wait months on end to just see someone to start the journey that led to my diagnosis. I wish I would get to live into my 60's and still potentially have a normal life expectancy, which Celine is still likely to have.
I totally understand how she could find it a little bit tough, but trust me, you could be walking in so much worse shoes than your own right now and you should stop feeling sorry for yourself and take life by two hands and enjoy the time you have with your children. Forget about the music now, if it's going to exacerbate things then leave it, focus on you, your family, and doing relaxing things. At least you have that opportunity unlike many others, like me, unfortunately. I'll still hold my head up and put my family first all the time, and better yet, I'll do it with a smile on my face hiding the pain and mental strain inside for the sake of them and wanting to live the rest of my days not feeling sorry for myself.
I hope nobody found this offensive, it's just my take, I don't expect everyone to understand. Thanks.
In a Violent Nature (2024)
A different approach, but not for me
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In A Violent Nature falls short in several key areas, making it a lackluster addition to the genre. The most glaring issue is the unrealistic portrayal of the killings. Despite the main character often being in plain sight and making considerable noise, the victims remain inexplicably oblivious to his presence. This lack of believability significantly detracts from the suspense and tension that are crucial for a film of this nature. The victims in this film just don't seem to use common sense, or fight back and ultimately give up way before any average person would in real life.
Furthermore, the plot lacks depth and excitement, leading to an overall sense of boredom. While the filmmakers deserve some credit for attempting to introduce a different approach, the execution fails to engage the audience or provide a fresh perspective. The characters are underdeveloped, and the story feels repetitive and bland, making it hard to invest in the outcome. The other characters just seem oblivious to friends going missing and walk towards danger at the soonest chance.
In summary, In A Violent Nature struggles to deliver a compelling narrative or convincing action, resulting in a disappointing viewing experience. Despite its ambition to stand out, it ultimately falls flat, but I appreciate the different approach, it's just not logical throughout, so unfortunately, it's not for me, 3/10.
You Can't Run Forever (2024)
Pretty boring, but some decent aspects
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You Can't Run Forever offers an intriguing premise but ultimately falls short of delivering a compelling story. The film follows Jenny, a young woman trying to escape a dangerous pursuer named Wade through a dense, foreboding forest. Despite the tense setup, the plot often feels predictable and lacks the necessary tension to keep viewers on edge.
The acting performances, particularly by Jenny, add some depth, but the character development is lacking. Wade's character is one-dimensional, and his motivations are never fully explored, of explained, leaving a gap in the narrative. The cinematography captures the wilderness effectively at times, but the film's pacing is uneven, leading to moments that drag.
In summary, You Can't Run Forever has potential but fails to deliver a fully engaging experience. It's a watchable film but doesn't leave a lasting impression.
Stopmotion (2023)
Solid 5 but nothing more
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Firstly, Stopmotion showcases an excellent performance by Aisling Franciosi, who brings depth and nuance to her role as Ella Blake, whilst the young and mysterious Caoilinn Springall was innocent, dark but a breath of fresh air, whilst playing the nameless little girl.
The unique storyline has the ability to capture the audience's attention right from the word go. However, despite the film's originality and standout concept, it fails to maintain its initial excitement. The narrative, which starts intriguingly, gradually loses momentum, leading to a lackluster middle act. The pacing issues detract from the overall impact, making it difficult to stay engaged. Moreover, the ending proves to be disappointing, lacking the punch needed to tie the story together satisfactorily.
While Stopmotion has the potential to be a standout film with its creative premise and strong lead performance, it ultimately falls flat due to its uneven execution and unsatisfying conclusion. The film is worth watching for Franciosi's performance, but it leaves much to be desired in terms of storytelling, audience capturing and ultimately, the payoff.
The Girl in the Trunk (2024)
Intriguing premise that falls flat, quickly
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The Girl In The Trunk (2024) is a disappointing thriller that fails to deliver on its intriguing premise. The plot is riddled with clichés and lacks coherence (I mean, just imagine leaving the person you've just kidnapped their mobile phone, with plenty of battery, to use anytime), while the characters are poorly developed.
Despite a few moments of suspense, the overall execution feels amateurish. The pacing drags, making it a tedious watch. It's a missed opportunity that squanders its potential. The dialogue is stilted, and the supposed twists are predictable, leaving the audience disengaged. The cinematography, while occasionally striking, can't save this film from its fundamental flaws. A forgettable experience, not worth the time.
Troll (2022)
Original and visually please. Worth a watch.
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Troll brings to life the myths and legends of Norwegian folklore with stunning visual effects and a palpable sense of wonder. The film's depiction of the titular creature is both awe-inspiring and terrifying, making it a true visual spectacle. The cinematography captures the rugged beauty of the Scandinavian landscape, which serves as a fitting backdrop for this mythical adventure.
However, while the film excels in its visual presentation, it falls short in the narrative department. The storyline follows a somewhat predictable path, lacking the originality needed to fully captivate its audience. The characters, though competently portrayed, often feel like archetypes rather than fully fleshed-out individuals. Nora Tidemann, the determined scientist, and Andreas Isaksen, the pragmatic government advisor, are central to the story but their development is minimal, making it difficult to form a strong emotional connection.
The pacing of the film also leaves something to be desired. It drags in places, making the 90-minute runtime feel longer than necessary. Additionally, the dialogue can be stilted at times, detracting from the overall immersion.
Despite its shortcomings, Troll is still an enjoyable watch for fans of fantasy and folklore. Its visual achievements and intriguing premise are enough to make it a decent addition to the genre, even if it doesn't quite reach the heights it aspires to.
In conclusion, Troll is a film that shines in its technical execution but falters in storytelling. It's worth a watch for its breathtaking visuals, but don't expect a deeply engaging narrative.
Tarot (2024)
Good experience but too predictable unfortunately
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Tarot offers an engaging visual experience, with great captures along the way that vividly bring the mystical elements of the story to life. The thought behind the storyline is commendable (the tarot cards look really cool too), weaving intriguing themes of fate and destiny through its narrative. The characters, such as Haley the tarot reader, Grant the conflicted boyfriend, and The Astrologer, the evil ancient tarot reader, are well-conceived and add depth to the plot.
However, despite its strong visual appeal, the film falls short in maintaining suspense. The plot also unfolds in a somewhat predictable manner, which dampens its potential to fully captivate the audience. While Tarot is visually impressive and conceptually interesting, a more gripping and less foreseeable storyline would have elevated it to a higher level of cinematic excellence. It's a one time watch for me.
Malum (2023)
Last Shift did something new. This did something unnecessary
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First of all, although both films shadowed eachother (as Malum is a remake), especially on the randomness front, back in 2014 when we were introduced to the Last Shift it was totally original and a lot more atmospheric.
Both films masterfully play on intense minimal locations and a small cast to create an unsettling experience. In Last Shift, the protagonist, Officer Jessica Loren, is portrayed with nuance, and her descent into terror feels palpable and real. The film's pacing is tight, with each scare and revelation meticulously timed to keep viewers on edge. In contrast, Malum, which also has the same director Anthony DiBlasi, somehow loses the magic of the original. Despite having a bigger budget and better production values, Malum lacks the tight narrative and atmospheric dread that made Last Shift so effective.
In summary, while Malum has the technical polish that Last Shift lacked, it ultimately fails to deliver the same level of psychological horror and engaging storytelling. Last Shift remains a superior film, with its clever use of suspense and atmosphere making it a standout in the horror genre (and it was very original at the time), whereas Malum feels like a hollow imitation, focusing on superficial scares rather than true horror.
Passenger (2024)
All downhill after the first couple of episdoes
Unfortunately like a lot of others have already said, this was just overall underwhelming and disappointing. After what seemed like a good opener with a bit of mystery surrounding a disappearance it just got worse, and worse, and worse.
Along with numerous unanswered questions, the baffling plot was so farfetched it was beyond ridiculous. I wanted to like it but it was virtually impossible as the series got further along. Without revealing spoilers, there was so many unnecessary (and extremely odd) side storylines that made you think that somehow all of this madness would come together later on - it didn't. That said, I gave the series a 2/10 because I don't agree with some of the other reviews that criticised the acting. There was absolutely some good aspects of acting involved by some 'lesser known' actors. It was just unfortunate for them that the storyline was so incomprehensible and flawed.
Honestly, if you don't want to get a bit baffled by the combination of some mysterious woods that cause hallucinations for no reason, a 90's text command style video game, some random attack from 5 years ago, an obsession over Manchester and some dodgy bread factory where everyone seems to work (amongst plenty of other odd things) - then I suggest you do not waste your time.
The Commuter (2018)
Bland, predictable, kinda boring in honesty
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The film starts out with Michael receiving the news he is receiving his severance package whilst under the pressure of providing for his struggling 'hand-to-mouth' family.
It comes as no surprise that a random opportunity to obtain a large amount of cash is offered to Michael.. I mean talk about irony, what are the chances of that, someone who is having money problems to be given this cryptic mission at the exact time of his life when he needs it.
It follows with a cliché of him searching around the commuter train unsuccessfully in a themed like cat/mouse type hunt, nothing we haven't already seen before and better many of times. I mean I don't mean to be harsh about the film I just don't know. It really lacked any edge or originality so therefore it was kinda predictable throughout. Not a film I would recommend nor be watching again unfortunately.
Mayday: Breakup Over Texas (2012)
Easily preventable tragedy
A well put together episode with a real mystery as to what exactly happened to Continental Express Flight 2574 when it suddenly fell from the sky with the left wing hanging off.
After determining the crash was not caused by a bomb it was then looked further into as to why the left horizontal stabilizer leading edge was the first part of the plane to come off the aircraft ultimately causing the downfall.
Subsequently, a lack of communication from overnight mechanics and their inspector meant the right sided leading edge was replaced completely, however they ran out of time and left sided leading edge had the top end screws removed but never replaced. This unfortunately meant that once the plane came up to speed the loose leading edge could not handle air pressure, which sadly ended in all 14 passengers losing their lives.
Black Mirror: Joan Is Awful (2023)
Eagerly anticipated falls a bit flat
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There was a huge amount of anticipation in the build up for the release of the new series and unfortunately the opening episode isn't really much to shout about.
In a current reality TV world that lacks any real direction, Annie Murphy excellently plays Joan, who doesn't get much assistance from her therapist, and after a tricky day at work she sits down to watch a new TV show with her fiancé that stars Salma Hayek and is called Joan Is Awful. Joan Is Awful mirrors the 'real' Joan somewhat and takes you on a little journey that reflects what is happening in Joan's reality but in a weird humour/creepy kinda way.
I was waiting for it to take off properly but unfortunately it fell flat.
A Quiet Place (2018)
Excellent acting but the film is flawed
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Many other reviews have stated that there are numerous illogical discrepancies in this film. I do not wish to pick them out one by one as I do not want to spoil anything for the viewer. People who have no problem in believing quite surreal and sometimes ridiculous storylines (with the added spice of what I can only be honest and say some pretty dumb decisions) will probably find this at least an 8/10. The reason I have given the film a 5 is because the acting by all is impeccable. You cannot blame the actors for the ridiculous decisions incorporated into this film, but you certainly can praise them for how they portay their character and that is one reason that makes this picture worth watching.
Gladbeck: The Hostage Crisis (2022)
Shocking and gripping whilst also very real
This is a documentary that is uniquely shown to us by real life camera footage recorded at the time of the incident, in August 1988.
Being over 30 years ago, the majority of people watching this will find it extremely hard to relate as to how something like this was allowed to happen. If it was these days things would've gone very differently, but at the time (more so specifically this incident), the Police and SWAT didn't really seem to have much of a clue.
Shocking and well put together, definitely worth the watch!
Hustle (2022)
Not a basketball fan, but well worth the watch!
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I'll try and catch most Adam Sandler films if I can, however there seems to be that many sometimes it's hard! I checked this film out not long after it had landed and it's almost a rags to riches story but with plenty of drama to keep you intrigued all the way through. There's a couple of unrealistic moments in the film, without any spoilers but put it like this, unless you don't have much of a brain you wouldn't make the exact same mistakes twice in a short period, especially after some intense training in between.
Anyway, check it out, well worth it, good job and great acting by the basketball stars!
Halloween III: Season of the Witch (1982)
Review based on the film in its own right
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The first thing I want to say is don't let the title of this film confuse you. We all know by now that this Halloween doesn't feature the infamous Michael Myers although that isn't an issue, the film itself is where it's faults lie.
I feel sorry for the actors for having to believe in such a ridiculous storyline and at some points (given the time this was made) they were the only slight saving grace.
As for the name, 'season of the witch', that makes no sense at all, it's absolutely nothing to do with a witc. It's about some ridiculous ancient ritualistic curse and should really be called something more like 'the ancient curse'.
Don't waste your time, nothing at all to do with the fact it doesn't feature Michael Myers, this film is just pathetic in its own right.
Countdown (2019)
Been done before but was still alright!
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There's a few films now out there where modern app technology has been incorporated, or even webcams, or some sort of countdown clock until someone's death.. so this film was nothing exceptionally original.
That said, the acting in the film was good, I was able to get drawn into the film and as always Elizabeth Lail was top of the class. The downside was that some of the situations that occurred weren't really the most original and I think the scenes could have been made to be more excitable with a little more imagination.
The effects were really good and going from the ratings the film was better than expected.
Depraved (2019)
Can't say it was worth a watch if I'm honest
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The film didn't really capture the imagination, it was all a bit too unrealistic..I get for a Frankenstein type film things will get unrealistic, but this redefined the word.
It felt low budget, the storyline could've been way more gripping, a few twists here and there could've been added. The name drew my attention as I'm an all round horror fan, but unfortunately this just never really got going for me.
The Rental (2020)
Just not that good
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The first half hour was good; lovely scenery, intriguing storyline and a few bits of humour too. When the more tense scenes came along I felt the film just fell into a massively 'seen it all before' bracket. The acting was excellent, fully believable and can't fault any of their roles one bit. I just felt it was lacking something different, I was really wanting there to be a twist or something surprising/out of the ordinary, but unfortunately it never came. Shame.
For the Sake of Vicious (2020)
Middle of the road kinda film
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This starts out pretty fast with not much back story before we get our teeths into the gritty story, which is fine as the back story comes to light in due course.
The film itself suffers from a rare thing called over-acting, and this was by Chris Smyth. Now I don't blame him for it as it's clearly the direction they wanted to take and he's doing as he's asked, but the amount of different face pulling that goes on, regardless of his character's reasoning is simply just overkill. It's every single scene his mouth is gurning all over the place, it gets very tedious very quickly.
The storyline itself and how it's portrayed is more than unbelievable for sure. It needed more thought and subtlety rather than going gung-ho with the trauma and gore.
I thought Lora Burke was great btw. Average watch, nothing special.
Legionnaire's Trail (2020)
It felt like someone was scratching out my eyes
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First of all, DO NOT watch this film. I'm not even sure it can be classed as a film. It was more like torture. I'm not one for giving up on a movie so I stuck it out, but oh how I wish I didn't.
At one point I had to dip my fingers into my glass of water and flick it on my face to make sure I hadn't died and gone to hell, as I presumed the punishment of watching such trash was fitting. Whatever budget they had for this film I wish I was given and I would've made something more entertaining with my dog, and the old boy sleeps 99% of the time, you see where I'm going with this.
Donovan Reid (2019)
5 out of 10 is where this is at
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This film has a great storyline, but it could've be done so much better. You can tell straight off the film is extremely low budget and some of the acting is really awful, without mentioning individuals. It's a shame really as this had the potential to have been made much more than it actually was.