illyriashade56 Reviews

Scream VI (2023)

An Improvement Over 5

[7/10 · 3 April 2023]

The greatest thing about this movie is that it massively improves upon 5. The chase scenes and set pieces were phenomenal and I felt like the characters had a lot more to them this time around. They also brought back Kirby, which made me incredibly happy.

However, I feel like they're still getting in their own way here. They seem more focused on making a Scream movie, and less focused on making a movie with good internal logic and plot. I have seen this movie three times and I still feel as if the Ghostface reveal was one of the worst of the series, and they didn't spend nearly enough time making sure their plot was cohesive and well thought out.

As characters, Bailey, Quinn, and even Ethan kind of work, but I feel like there were much, much better more compelling options for this movie's Ghostface. Radio Silence, for all of their talent, is really staying close to the original trilogy here and I think it's to their detriment. We've seen this before, do something interesting and new.

The new setting was great, the relationships between the characters were great, but the plot is lacking and I really wish they would have taken some more risks with the plot instead of retreading Scream 2.

Bad Moon (1996)

A Hidden Gem

[6/10 · 18 August 2022]

I have a lot of love in my heart for this movie, and I think it does some neat things having a dog as the main protagonist. And man does Primo the dog actor do an awesome job as Thor. I think he gives a fantastic performance, and I have to give kudos to him and his trainers. The movie relies heavily on the dog being a compelling character, and the only reason this movie works well is because of this performance.

The movie is more interested in the spectacle of the werewolf than the plot, which is a real shame since this film had great potential to have a very solid emotional core, but I wasn't too bothered by it, personally. The film definitely would have benefitted from exploring the relationships of the characters a bit more, especially the sibling dynamic between our main human characters and how Thor trying to keep his people safe comes into conflict with that (although to be honest this movie was obviously written by an only child). It also would have been nice to see more of Ted's inner turmoil.

I seem to be in the minority in that I love the design of the werewolf, and I thought the animatronic was pretty cool, even if the movements and actions of it didn't always jive with me. The gore effects are solid and the kills are fun though. The transformation sequence is absolutely horrendous and a crime against humanity.

Overall, the film is a bit shallow but it's solid, and I enjoyed it immensely.

Dark Moon Rising (2015)

Bad in the bad way, not in the fun way

[1/10 · 18 August 2022]

This movie is why I don't impulse buy movies at Walmart anymore. The cover looked cool, and the premise sounded cool, but turns out this is hands down the worst film I have ever seen in my life. I lost track of the plot about 10 minutes in and then just was confused, and there is not a single aspect of this movie I would praise. I don't usually say this about movies because most movies have some passion behind them that lends credence to the idea that someone would choose to let it exist, but I straight up have no idea who's bright idea it was to allow this movie to exist as it does, or really at all. I can't even tell if there was real intention or passion behind this, it just exists as this anomalous thing that I can't even begin to fathom someone willingly creating and releasing into the world. Needless to say, this movie ruined any curiosity I had about werewolf movies which was a shame because I love werewolves more than life itself. I was convinced the entire genre was garbage because this was only the second one I'd seen. There are dozens of much, MUCH better werewolf movies out there and this one really needs to be put down before it ruins someone else.

Nope (2022)

Has A Lot To Say

[8/10 · 3 August 2022]

I honestly wasn't planning on seeing this movie. While I enjoy Peele's directorial style, his movies have never really been my thing. But I had nothing to do so I went and saw it opening night.

I'm not a raving fan of this movie but I will say it was enjoyable and definitely worth seeing. Not my jam, but I see why people really, really like it.

Peele, as always, has a lot to say and he leaves you with a lot of questions, and in a way it seems like you NEED to rewatch the movie to catch everything, which will probably turn some people off.

The cinematography is incredible and the movie looks fantastic, and all of the performances were great. It's clear a lot of thought and care went into crafting this movie.

It's a fun movie and it really sucked me in while I was watching it, and Peele's very unique and specific writing and directorial style was on full display here.

I probably won't see this movie again because like I said it's not my jam, but I have a healthy respect for Peele and all of the thought that he put into this.

Call of the Hunter (2009)

Not Phenomenal, But I Liked It

[5/10 · 18 July 2022]

Standing as director Anthony Staeger's only feature film to date, this movie is a bit of a mixed bag. On one hand, the score and soundtrack leave a lot to be desired and the cinematography and editing make the whole movie feel like a music video and those reenactments in true crime shows had a baby.

On the other hand, the acting was shockingly good and the characters were all very likeable (or weird enough to be interesting). The gore, what little there is, is also pretty freaking good. I was pleasantly surprised, considering the film's extremely low budget.

It's narmy and stupid in places but I feel as if this could definitely find its own dedicated fanbase if it had a wider reach. Overall, it's a weird little movie and I had some fun with it.

Dead Snow (2009)

Well, I wasn't bored.

[5/10 · 16 July 2022]

I'm not sure this movie quite lives up to the hype, as the editing is atrocious and all of the characters are painfully stupid. It really tries to be a black comedy, but instead it lands in this area where it is neither funny enough nor scary enough. The only horror comedy element they really got down was the over the top gore.

However, I liked the dynamic the main characters had and I didn't hate them until they started making very, very dumb decisions in the second half of the movie. I also loved the gore, which is probably the main selling point of this movie.

Overall, not amazing but good to put on at a party or in the background while you do other things.

The Black Phone (2021)

I Liked It

[8/10 · 15 July 2022]

I have been waiting for this film since I saw the first trailer. It looked dark, grim, and absolutely terrifying. That was not the film we got, but that didn't really dampen it for me. Instead of a super gritty, dark, suffocating film, we got a horror-esque coming of age story with some shockingly funny bits of humor tucked away between the rest of what this film has to offer.

The acting is good, the cinematography is really good, and the whole movie is compelling and even fun in a way. While it does have some narmy moments and things that just didn't vibe with the rest of the movie, overall it was a well-paced and well-thought out movie.

If you ignore the misleading marketing and judge the movie for what if actually is, it's a really solid film and another hit for Scott Derrickson.

Outer Range (2022– )

Not the Best, But Absolutely Bonkers

[5/10 · 22 May 2022]

I really only started watching this because I am from Wyoming and crave content set in my state. It grew on me though, and I did end up watching the whole thing.

While it has its strengths, mainly the acting and the unique concept, the whole show leaves me not quite sure how to feel. The dialogue was very weird a lot of the time (lots of weird pointless monologues and exchanges that amount to nothing), and the characters were either super freaking wild and strange (Wayne Tillerson) or just made the stupidest decisions for no reason.

I feel as if this show started with an idea and then the writers just winged it. Did it turn out interesting and okay? I think so. But it is definitely not as coherent and well put together as I would have liked. It was going strong for the first couple of episodes, lost itself, and then regained its legs in the last two episodes.

Despite its flaws, Outer Range gets so wild so quickly and it just keeps getting weirder and weirder and I adore that about this show. It definitely could use some work, but there were a lot of great plot points that kept me interested and wanting to find out what would happen next. I think with a little streamlining and a little more time to bake, this would have been a superb show.

Overall, I'm just happy that my home is getting stories told about it. The show definitely has a sense of place and somewhat accurately portrays Wyoming, and that's all I could ever ask for.

Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness (2022)

The Closest We'll Get To a Marvel Horror Flick

[6/10 · 13 May 2022]

I won't lie, I am not a Marvel fan. I typically find the movies dry, boring, and overly pretentious, which may be due more to the cultural zeitgeist than anything else. I am, however, a massive Sam Raimi fan, and that was the only reason I saw this film. And boy did Raimi deliver. He injected a delightful sense of personality into the film that Marvel typically lacks and he really pushed his PG-13 rating. There's gore, there's scares, and there's some scenes that have that classic Evil Dead campiness to them that I really, really loved.

I was a little surprised that Raimi got as much free reign as he did, but I still feel like some of the movie was a bit stiff, which to me felt more like a script problem than anything else. It feels a bit like some things were shoved in there just to have them in there, and that those bits took some of the focus away from things that are more important, such as character development or the actual plot. Once the action starts, there is no downtime whatsoever, and it feels like you are being catapulted at breakneck speeds without time to really get to know most of the characters.

In addition, our second protagonist, America Chavez, gets very little real development over the course of the movie despite the massive potential of her character. She's just another quippy, Whedonesque teenaged superhero character, which was a bummer because I really wanted to care about her. Wanda, Strange, and Wong all had good moments where they got to shine, but America never really did.

Overall, it was a really, really fun ride and is definitely worth the watch. However, there are some glaring weaknesses that really creep in in some places and bog down the movie as a whole. Nevertheless, this is probably a movie I will rewatch.

Martyrs (2008)

10/10 Never Watching Again

[8/10 · 3 April 2022]

The title of this review is solely because the phrase rolls off the tongue better; this is definitely not a perfect movie.

This movie certainly lives up to what people say about it. The gore is honestly not nearly as bad as I thought it would be, but the subject matter is and boy oh boy did it make me feel things I never knew existed and wish I could have the pleasure of un-feeling.

This movie was long, grueling, and emotionally draining, and I think that's exactly what it wanted to do. Although to be honest, the third act did drag on for far too long and included a couple of sequences that added nothing but some extra brutality to the film, which really wasn't necessary.

Is this a good film? Yeah, I'd say so. Is it worth a watch? Probably. Would I recommend this to other people? Absolutely not. It's got a certain quality to it that is hard to put into words, and whatever it is makes Martyrs a very different film, for better and for worse. All in all, I will never watch this film again, but if you want to be traumatized, this movie will certainly do its best to traumatize you.

Scream (I) (2022)

Not Much New, But a Solid Movie

[7/10 · 24 March 2022]

I actually saw this in theaters when it first came out but I was so emotional getting out of it that I waited until I saw it a second time to review it. There was no way I could have given a biased review the first time around.

This movie is really, really good at being a Scream movie, but it doesn't add much beyond that. For huge fans of the originals, it definitely packs a punch with all of the little references, and with certain character choices for our legacy characters, such as Dewey's death and Sidney finally having settled down into a normal life.

One thing I did love about this movie is how it commentated on fandom, because to be honest fandom is just like that. I also really liked how it got back to those undertones of people will kill just because they want to kill, not because of any motive that they have. I've seen people complain about Richie and Amber's motive, but it makes sense within the film and with how the characters are presented in the final act.

Aside from some smart commentary, I do really think that this movie was just going through the motions and that the directors were afraid to stray too far from how Wes Craven would have done things, which while kind of nice is also a little disappointing. They could have done so much with the basic ideas that they had, but they were very by the books as they tried to make a movie that looks and feels like a Wes Craven movie, which they really didn't succeed at. It lacks a certain depth and substance that Wes's movies always had, even if it was subtle.

Overall, it was a great Scream movie. It works well as a Scream movie because that's what it was designed to be. But beyond that, there's not really a lot there. This movie is inextricable from the original in a way the other sequels never were and I think that does hinder it in a lot of ways.

Final Girl (2015)

Solid

[6/10 · 23 March 2022]

I found this movie while scrolling through Tubi and decided to watch it since I like the final girl trope. I wasn't expecting much, but this pleasantly surprised me. The acting is solid and the premise is interesting, if a little undercooked. There was a lot here that I wish had been done more cleanly, or that they had spent more time on. All of the boys deserved a bit more backstory and personality, and some moments fall a bit flat or come off weird without that.

There were also some things that really should have been left out in favor of giving the other characters more time to shine. Other than that though, it was a pretty enjoyable movie. Nothing spectacular or groundbreaking, but I liked it.

Texas Chainsaw Massacre (2022)

So Close, Yet So Far

[5/10 · 20 February 2022]

I really, really wanted to like this movie. I really did. I think the first half had a good metaphor going and despite all the trite and done into the dirt woke talking points, I felt like it had a purpose. But once the bodies started to drop, so did all of that potential.

Not only that, but this movie presents a devastating and, quite frankly, insulting end to the original heroine Sally Hardesty. Not only does she not get any semblance of closure or vengeance, she bleeds out in a literal pile of garbage and her only purpose was as a nostalgia hook and to give the new final girl a narmy line of wisdom and a gun before she presumably dies.

In addition, glaring plot holes and a general lack of what is a critical element to the franchise, Leatherface'a family, really bring this movie down from what it could have been.

Did it have good points? Of course. The kills were fantastic, and the camerawork was magnificent, as was the score. It was brutal, fast, and hard-hitting. It is also far from the worst sequel, despite its glaring flaws.

Overall, it was an okay movie. There was so much wasted potential though, and thats a shame.

Better Watch Out (II) (2016)

Very Enjoyable

[9/10 · 14 February 2022]

I went into this film knowing pretty much nothing except that it was a Christmas horror flick. I did not expect for this movie to be the absolute bonkers ride that it was. I was looking for some easy brain popcorn on a Sunday night and what I got was something totally different. The characters were endearing, and the acting was surprisingly good.

There was a very good use of setting in this film, as everything except for the first couple of minutes takes place inside of one very small area. It also kept ratcheting up the stakes in a way I found very satisfying, and it made up for the very quick start to the action, which caught me off-guard.

Overall, I had a great experience with this movie. It's probably not everyone's cup of tea, but it was definitely worth a watch.

Scare Package (I) (2019)

Campy, Stupid Fun

[6/10 · 24 January 2022]

This movie is stupid as all B movies are, and it really leans into that. If you're looking for scares this is not the movie for you, but if you're looking for something campy and self-referential, this is perfect. It's over the top and full of stupid humor, so if that's your thing, give this a shot.

Ruin Me (2017)

Worth A Watch

[5/10 · 21 January 2022]

I was pleasantly surprised with this movie. Although it was relatively bloodless for a slasher, it was an interesting take, almost Scream-esque in a way near the end. I probably won't watch it again, but I'm glad I did watch it.

Overall, it had a solid premise and some really good ideas, but the plot was a little weakly structured and some of the acting wasn't the greatest. The two halves of the movie almost feel like separate movies entirely, and I feel as if they could have been tied together a little better.

Definitely not a fantastic movie, but it's a decent movie if you're looking for something lowkey to kill the time with.

Parents (1989)

A Surreal Experience That's Not For Everyone

[6/10 · 29 October 2021]

I had never heard of this movie before, and it looked like it had the same sort of weird zany surrealism as Society, which I massively enjoyed. What I was not expecting was how much darker in tone this film was going to be, and how massively uncomfortable it can be at times with some of the thematic undertones.

It taps into the inherent surreal nature of 1950's idyllic suburbia and builds wonderfully off of that horror, as well as delving into the true horror of being stuck in the same house as people who might want to hurt you. While there was a lot that just didn't hit and some spots where I felt the movie lacked, overall I found the movie to be interesting and kind of fun.

This movie is definitely not for everyone and is bound to disappoint quite a few horror fans, but for those that like surrealism in the vein of Society, this is definitely worth the watch. It's a solid movie and even if it's not the best out there, it has some merit as a film and some solid thematic undertones.