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Reviews
The Legend of Lake Hollow (2024)
Doesn't deserve the hate
There's something inherently creepy about water, and a spooky lake is a good place to set some chills. One really eerie sequence has our main protagonist rowing across the river with a man they've rescued. We're not quite sure if this stranger is on the level, or is something more malevolent behind his odd manner. This character will also play a part in another truly creepy scene.
The Legend of Lake Hollow manages to work up some nice chills and creeping dread during the first hour. Unfortunately, like so many horror movies, once the answers begin coming it begins to lose some steam. I still found it to be an enjoyable ride and was shocked by the low ratings.
Never Been Chris'd (2023)
Hallmark finally adds more depth
Like many Hallmark Christmas movie fans, I've been hoping and praying they'd break out of their cookie-cutter format. Never Been Chris'd gives me hope! There's the usual happy ending, but it's bitter sweet, and getting there involves a lot of honesty and soul searching, with old wounds being laid bare. Don't let this scare you away, though. There's still plenty of the usual Hallmark, er, hallmarks to keep things interesting. The two female leads have great chemistry and their comedic timing is spot on. The first 30-45 minutes contain several funny scenes, lines, and reactions. (In all honesty, I missed that comedy as the movie began to take a "darker" turn.) Never Been Chris'd may not be everyone's cup of tea, but it is a refreshing change from the usual Hallmark Christmas output.
Wish for Christmas (2016)
Enjoyable Christmas movie
Wish for Christmas won't win any Oscars, but it is well made and has a thought-provoking premise. This story has been told many times, and better, but Wish for Christmas gets most things right. I'm a Christian, so it may sound ironic that my biggest complaint is concerning the faith message, or rather HOW it's told. It's always tough to work that message into a script so it flows naturally. Unfortunately it feels a tad forced here. The message isn't wrong, it's just told wrong. (Uncle Paul's big talk with Anna never feels real, even though he's speaking the truth.)
Overall, Wish for Christmas is well made, the acting pretty much holds up, and the message is clear. Reading through the comments here has been a hoot. Atheists seem to be highly triggered. That tells me the message is correct, even if the delivery is a little clunky. You could do a lot worse than Wish for Christmas.
Unknown Visitor (2019)
Solid short film
Unknown Visitor features a small cast of, er, unknowns (at least to me). There are no fancy special effects, the camera never moves, and there are several long static shots. Even within these limitations, Unknown Visitor works up a spooky atmosphere, with the dread slowly increasing as the story unfolds. The filmmakers don't answer all the questions, which leaves the movie with a nice feeling of unease. I counted at least four good scares, with one of them giving me a real jolt! The movie clocks in at 52 minutes, which is the right length. Any longer and Unknown Visitor would probably become an unwelcome visitor. Kudos to the entire crew for making such a good little fright fest.
El fantasma del convento (1934)
Fantastic early Mexican horror
Phantom of the Monastery's story is simple yet effective: Three travelers end up spending the night at an abandoned monastery - only it's not abandoned. As the night wears on our trio are subjected to all kinds of spooky and unexplainable happenings. With the morning light comes clarity, in more ways than one.
Phantom of the Monastery slowly grabs hold, and before you know it you're held tightly in its icy clutch. A monastery at night is spooky, and this movie takes full advantage of it. Dark hallways, shadows, silently moving monks - brrr. It's all captured in glorious b&w, with several striking shots. Most viewers will see the ending coming, but HOW it gets to that end makes it a worthwhile ride. Two scenes in particular - both featuring doors - are the stuff of nightmares.
Best Worst Movie (2009)
The light and dark of fandom
Best Worst Movie begins in the best way, with joy and happiness surrounding the "resurrection" of Troll 2. Lives are changed, seemingly for the better, as the actors discover Troll 2 has taken on cult status. It's exciting to see the boisterous audience reaction at screenings.
However, it's to the filmmakers' credit that the documentary is more than just a mutual admiration society. About halfway in we begin to see a darker side to sudden fandom. Petty jealousies - particularly from the director - and the monotony of ad nauseam questions from fans is just part of the dark side. We also get to know some of the actors and actresses, and, humans being human, we see real life, warts and all. It all makes for a fun, energetic, sobering, and sometimes sad peek behind the curtain.
Two Days Back (2011)
So-so movie with an interesting tie-in
Two Days Back isn't a great movie, but, to its credit, it does build a little tension and dread during the final third. The forest can be a spooky place, and Two Days Back makes good use of its setting. The acting, for the most part, holds up, the music has some odd, but interesting choices, and overall it looks decent. It may have been a forgotten movie if not for one of the actresses, Amanda Kohberger. If that last name rings as bell, it's because she is the sister of Bryan Kohberger, the alleged (at the time of this writing) quadruple murderer of the college kids in Moscow, Idaho. (Amanda, by the way, does a solid job in her role.)
Halloween Ends (2022)
Halloween Ends aka Michael Makes a Friend
I appreciate the filmmakers' attempt at something different with Halloween Ends. After all, this is (supposed to be) the end, and it should be both emotional and satisfying. This film was neither. It does tackle some pretty big issues - evil, love, bullying, forgiveness - but the script isn't up to it. It's a poet's heart with a tin ear.
The introduction of the Corey character could've been interesting, but not for this film. It simply muddies the water. As I mentioned earlier, it's a daring approach, but none of it worked. There's almost zero emotional connection to any of the characters, including Laurie, and that disconnect is the kiss of death for any movie.
Halloween Ends isn't a horrible movie. It's well shot and the acting holds up. It just doesn't complete the story arc (like it thinks it does), and that leaves it feeling misplaced and hollow.
Dark Shadows (2012)
Fun reimagining
A lot of fans were down on this reimagining because it was too "campy". Uh, you might want to go back and take a look at the original series (which I love, by the way). This walks a perfect line between respect and forging its own path. Johnny Depp is pitch-perfect as Barnabas Collins, and he has several funny lines and bits. All the other actors are well cast, including Alice Cooper who's an inspired touch. My only complaint is common to today's movies: CGI. The big CGI battle at the end is way over the top, and distracts from an otherwise witty movie. One other quibble is the final shot. If you've seen it you know what I mean.
Dark Shadows 2012 is fun in its own way and deserves more respect. 7 out of 10.
The Requin (2022)
The Requin be a suckin'
(Mild Spoilers)
These are a few thoughts I posted on another site after watching The Requin:
Wow, this movie went from mediocre, to ridiculous, to bad, and finally ended at ridiculously bad. Oh my, where to start. Alicia Silverstone is an amiable actress, but her character here is beyond annoying. (The story has her suffering from PTSD after the loss of a baby, but there's no reason to make her so unlikable.) A big tropical storm sets things into motion, and pretty soon we're full-on into bad CGI-land. As the cliches begin to pile up the movie moves into Sharknado territory, becoming more and more preposterous. Probably most unbelievable is neither character recognizing until late in the movie that blood attracts sharks. Good grief.
Double Door (1934)
Spooky melodrama
1934's Double Door is a real doozy. It's a melodrama, but elements of mystery and horror sneak in periodically. Mary Morris plays a real witch, and you'll love hating her. The cinematography constantly surprises, with plenty of camera movement, weird angles, and under lighting. The acting is good throughout. Double Door isn't horror, but it does create an uneasy atmosphere. Recommended!
A Thief in the Night (1972)
Low budget but earnest
I'm a lot more forgiving of low budget films than I am of those with $200 million+ budgets. After all, a big budget movie SHOULD have top notch actors, special effects, etc. A THIEF IN THE NIGHT was made for under 70k, the acting is spotty, and the audio is choppy as different scenes have different background sounds. However, to the film's credit, it's more interested in the story being told than it is in HOW the story is told. The filmmakers believe what they're saying (I happen to agree with them) and that earnestness shows through the budget limitations.
I've noticed many reviewers mentioning the film's intent is to "scare" viewers into salvation. According to prophecy, the end times WILL be scary. Helping people understand the choice they need to make now is important, and ATITN carries that sense of heightened awareness from beginning to end. Is it manipulative? Maybe, but most movies manipulate viewers in one way or another. I suspect the real pushback from viewers of this movie has to do with people who don't want - or don't care - to hear about their sinful nature.
The Christmas Miracle of Jonathan Toomey (2007)
Moving and sentimental tale of loss and love
It's ironic, but some of the best Christmas movies are those with a deep strain of melancholy under the surface. THE Christmas MIRACLE OF JOHNATHON TOOMEY is just that; a tale of loss and heartache, yet never losing the hope that is Christmas.
All the leads give excellent performances, the cinematography is solid, and the script, while not breaking any new ground, constantly draws us in. These are characters we come to like and root for!
The Judas Project (1990)
Low budget but ambitious retelling of the life of Christ
This review contains spoilers.
Kudos to director James Barden for his ambitious -- albeit truncated -- retelling of the life of Jesus. The idea is immediately compelling: What would happen if Jesus came to earth NOW, for the first time, rather than 2000+ years ago? According to Mr. Barden, not much would change: Religious leaders would still despise Him, the masses would flock to Him, and, ultimately, scripture would be fulfilled.
There is a lot of talent involved here, both in front of and behind the camera. John O'Banion brings a true warmth and sincerity to the role of Jesse (Jesus), while Ramy Zada brings depth to his portrayal of the conflicted Jude (Judas). Jeff Corey and Richard Herd add gravitas.
As I mentioned earlier, The Judas Project is ambitious, which ultimately leads to some problems. Trying to fit three years of ministry, teaching and miracles into 90 minutes is tough. Many of the highlights of Jesus's life are merely touched on or glossed over. There just isn't enough time to fully develop all the characters and story lines. Still, the main three story points -- Jesus's relationship with the disciples, His relationship with the religious and world leaders, and His crucifixion -- are well realized. Be prepared, as the crucifixion is gruesome. (These scenes are what gave the movie its PG-13 rating.)
Forget the naysayers and simply enjoy the movie for what it is. This is low-budget film making done well.
Do You Believe? (2015)
Solid Christian-themed movie
It's not easy pulling off an anthology movie, Christian-themed or not. The task of writing multiple stories, giving time for each character to grow, then bringing them all together for a believable climax seems to fail more often than not. Do You Believe? does an excellent job of creating multiple characters/story lines I cared about!
The acting is solid throughout, with my biggest compliment (and surprise) going to Brian Bosworth. His character's innate warmth resonates in every scene he's in. It's not a big, flashy part but it suits his talents well and he nails it. Ted McGinley also scores high marks as a pastor who just wants to do the right thing.
As I mentioned earlier, pulling off an anthology film is not an easy task and yes, there will be some who'll say the ending is clichéd, having all these characters intersect. But that's the point! God wants a personal relationship with all of us and He can use our lives however He sees fit. If you're a Christian, you'll get it. If not, give the movie a chance and see where it leads your heart.