phantasm17 Reviews

Sick (2022)

"I SAID I WAS SORRY!!"

[10/10 · 14 January 2023]

Holy cow, leave it up to Kevin Williamson to deliver an old-fashioned slasher flick!! Why are there always haters? If you were looking for this type of film, watched it, and were "bored," as one reviewer commented, or hated it or whatever, then maybe, just maybe, the horror genre in general, and the slasher sub-genre in particular just aren't for you. It's okay, not every film is gonna please every person, but to give this film a one star rating as some have done is absolutely criminal. For those that loved it, well, you know what I mean, right?!

The film was extremely well directed, the cinematography and editing were spot-on, great production values and practical effects (from what I could tell!), wonderful sound design, and a fun, fun, script from Kevin Williamson!

And, I simply had to save the acting for last - these two young women leads, Gideon Adlon and Bethlehem Million, were fantastic and terrific to root for throughout. Adlon in particular was an absolute joy; looking forward to seeing her in other things. Love that these two actors performances were very natural and sorta anti-A-LIst. Dylan Spayberry was also very convincing and effective as DJ. Gotta give shoutouts to Marc Menchaka (Jason!) and Jane Adams (Pamela!). Jane Adams' introduction in the car was amazingly funny and it paid off in a terrific manner. I simply love her! And leave it up to Williamson also to deliver those terrific character names and all the wonderful homages and classic touches throughout. Well done, sir! Of course, Mr. Williamson will forever have everything he ever does compared to the brilliant SCREAM, but don't be fooled into believing that this film simply can't compare; what it lacks in originality it more than makes up for in execution on every single level. Well done SICK team, this one is going on the need-to-purchase list for sure!!

By the way, I have given this a 10/10 to help compensate for the trolls, but in reality I'd probably dock it down to 9/10 because I'm certain that on subsequent viewings there simply *has* to be something slightly wrong with this movie somewhere, right?!

Crimes of the Future (2022)

Best film of 2022

[10/10 · 17 July 2022]

Absolutely loved this movie; it's the first "Cronebergian" Cronenberg film since, eXistenZ, or perhaps SPIDER. Not that I haven't enjoyed his films since that time - A HISTORY OF VIOLENCE, EASTERN PROMISES and COSMOPOLIS were great movies - but CRIMES OF THE FUTURE sees the filmmaker exploring the furthest reaches of his imagination in a way that those other films simply didn't. This is no doubt due to the fact that Cronenberg also wrote the screenplay; a commonality that all of his greatest films share, in my opinion. For the film to be 100% Cronenbergian, it really helps when the man himself is sitting at the keyboard.

Viggo's performance was as captivating as error but it was Léa Seydoux who really stole the show and was absolutely hypnotic in her role. It was also great to see Kristen Stewart daring to play such a quirky character. Kudos to her. All of the supporting cast was awesome too, as is typical of all of Cronenberg's films. He's does an amazing job of casting and this film is no exception.

I missed having Denise Cronenberg on the film, same for Peter Suschitzky. You could see and feel the difference. Not that the differences were to the detriment of the film, not at all. Just different, that's all. Kudos to Cronenberg for not pushing their replacements to mimic the work of their predecessors. Some felt the lighting was too dark but I really enjoyed it; it had a noir quality to it beyond anything else in Cronenberg's filmography.

The only real downside I see to this film has to do with its marketing. I'm not sure the distributors did the film any favors by trying to market it as a mainstream sci-fi, horror thriller. On the one hand, you can understand their thinking in terms of trying to make as much money as possible, but unfortunately this strategy ended up attracting a crowd for which the film wasn't intended. This is an art-house film, pure and simple, and I'm not even sure this is a horror film at all. For me, it simply felt like a purely Cronenbergian drama, a kind of dystopian love story that only a filmmaker like Croneberg would ever have the intestinal fortitude to tell.

I get that this film is not going to be for everyone; few Cronenberg films are. As usual, he's simply more interested in tugging at the strings of his own imagination than he is in making a purely commercial film that'll appeal to the masses. His last attempt at a mainstream genre film was 1986's THE FLY, so, adding to my point above, I'm not sure why the marketing campaign essentially mislead moviegoers into believing they'd be seeing a commercial sci-fi horror film.

I can see why a lot of viewers were caught off-guard and, as a result, have reacted negatively. It's truly unfortunate because this film is much, much better than its rating suggests. I'm not saying every Cronenberg fan will enjoy this film; opinions are rarely that clear-cut for any film or any filmmaker. But, I do think having familiarity with Cronenberg and his work is almost a prerequisite to fully enjoy this film. As a longtime fan, CRIMES OF THE FUTURE was pure, 100% eye and ear candy and I can't wait to take it all in again on subsequent viewings.

One final thought: Why are some people so adamant about trashing things that they don't like or appreciate? Okay, you didn't like the film, great, move on with life. Why the insistence that just because you didn't like something that other people should dislike it too? Bashing something without a modicum of thought behind the criticism is just dumb. That's basically how Rex Reed's review was, for example. Reed admits to disliking essentially all of Cronenberg's films but then takes the time to review CotF anyway just for an opportunity to vent about how much he hates David Cronenberg's movies. That's just childish and brainless. That'd be like me leaving a negative review on the MAVERICK: TOP GUN page just to rile all the military fetishists out there who were so enamored by it; I don't have the time nor do I care, and neither should you. All art criticism is subjective, folks; try to find something more constructive to do.

Texas Chainsaw Massacre (2022)

Stylish but stupid

[5/10 · 18 February 2022]

This movie had a lot going for it except for a decent script. Granted, this may or may not be the writer's fault as directors and producers can always negatively affect the script also, maybe to save some cash, maybe for visual flair. I just don't get why studios and production companies are so willing to throw money (this thing is alleged to have cost $20 million) at projects with such terrible, lazy, moronic scripts. It frustrates me because it makes me believe that these filmmakers think that if you simply throw enough eye candy at an audience they'll ignore or forget how stupid the story is. From a technical point of view, there's very little to complain about. Even the acting is more than passable. I'm not gonna blame the actors for poor character development though; again, that's the writer's job from the outset. Alas, it's another horror film that relies upon characters doing the dumbest things at the worst times in order to setup some cheap scares. It's all so trite, rehashed, predictable, and boring. In all, it was a fun one-time watch but nothing to dwell on or revisit in the future.

The Rental (2020)

Ignore the hate, it's a solid thriller!

[8/10 · 5 September 2021]

Why do people have to throw so much hate around? I'll bet most of the people bagging on this film for "lack of originality" are the same people that'll watch every "new" zombie film with glee and can't wait to see another "The Conjuring" entry. Look folks, EVERY story, when broken down to its basics, has been done time and time again and there is absolutely nothing wrong with that. Sure, I can name many other films whose stories are essentially like this one, just as I can name fifty plus similar zombie films, and fifty haunted house movies, or vampire movies, or ghost story movies, or alien invader movies - all, at their core, basically like their predecessors. But so what? Date of origin has nothing to do with the quality of the product. Thank God filmmakers understand this concept or we'd have been deprived a ton of good films! For me, it's not the story that matters so much per se. Rather, it's how the story is told, and "The Rental" is told rather well, in this viewer's opinion.

I also don't understand the comments calling the film "pointless" because of its ending. Why is knowing the killer's backstory so important for some in this instance? Sure, it could have taken that direction but instead they left it unexplained which, honestly, I found much creepier. Why did Ted Bundy kill? Why indeed. To me, evoking those sort of thoughts in the viewer IS the point. Too much criticism is given to films that don't wrap things up with a neat little bow and that's too bad. Certainly almost any ending would have its detractors; I'm glad the filmmakers had the courage of their convictions to end it the way they did. I'm not saying it was the greatest script in history, but it was more than unique enough to be entertaining.

As for the production of the film, it was superb. The location was awesome. Loved the cinematography and art direction; they really set a dreadful and moody atmosphere. The directing was better than mere competence with some clever setups and good staging and execution. The cast and acting were top notch. I will admit that their motivations become morally suspect in the third act, but that has more to do with the script and not the acting itself. The performances themselves were great.

I don't rate a lot of films on IMDb but felt compelled to write a review for this movie after seeing so many terrible reviews from others. For the life of me, I can't see why anyone would rate this anything less than 3 out of 5 stars. It's a solid thriller and I have no problem recommending it to others. If you liked "Hush", "The Strangers", "The Vacancy", "Within", or any number of other films in a similar vein, you'll likely enjoy this.

I'll Be Gone in the Dark (2020–2021)

I'll be watching in the dark...

[8/10 · 29 June 2020]

This is simply excellent documentary filmmaking. I'm very familiar with the EAR/ONS (Golden Stare Killer) case having studied it on my own for many years. Of course, I'm ecstatic with the arrest of a suspect (leaving name out since he's not convicted) as I'm sure Michelle would be too. The first episode really hit home because I know what it's like to spend hour after hour day after day obsessed with amateur detective work. You sometimes wonder if you're having any impact at all and are often mocked for trying to shed light into places where it's never landed before. Michelle's work proved that amateur slueuthing can make a difference in subtle and important ways. Would the case have been solved without her contributions? Maybe, even probably, but that's not really the point. Her work demonstrates that the victims in these terrible crimes do matter, no matter how long the cases remain unsolved. The victims matter to her and to all of those who strive to solve these mysteries, and it's that fact that keeps amateur detectives motivated to the point of obsession and NOT some morbid fascination with human tragedy. I said all of the above because I feel the filmmakers have done an excellent job capturing the real motivations for people like Michelle McNamara and all other armchair detectives. Since the subject matter is both the Golden State Killer case and Michelle McNamara's obsession with it, it's much more nuanced than a more traditional true-crime documentary where the subjects are generally comprised of police officers, the subject of their investigation, and, on occasion, surviving victims and family members. 'I'll Be Gone in the Dark' functions on all of those levels too but also goes deeper by using a non-traditional protagonist. The filmmakers deserve kudos for utilizing this unique angle, and in the first episode they've done an excellent job of setting up the the characters and the conflict of the documentary. If the remaining episodes are on par with the first, this documentary series will easily score an 8/10. (Note: I am not affiliated with the filmmakers, Michelle McNamara, or her estate in any way. The above review reflects my unbiased opinion of this documentary. Rest in peace Michelle.)

The Deuce (2017–2019)

Great show!!

[10/10 · 31 October 2019]

Loved this show - every single episode. Too bad it only went three seasons; I will miss it tremendously. They got everything right with this show - actors, directors, writers, story. I know it's just my opinion, but this is one of the better series to come along in quite some time. Cheers and hats off to cast, crew, and creators. Thanks for the ride.

Don't Hang Up (2016)

Familiar troupes / Unique perspective

[8/10 · 31 October 2019]

Honestly, I'm shocked this film isn't rated higher than it is. It seems that most negative reviews have to do with the familiar plot but, c'mon folks, if only 100% original movies were to be produced, there'd be one movie made every ten years or so; almost *everything* has been done at some point or other. Should Carpenter have not made HALLOWEEN because BLACK CHRISTMAS and FRIGHT came before it? Should Kubrick have not made THE SHINING because other haunted house movies predated it? Is THE WALKING DEAD and virtually every other zombie TV show or movie not derivative of Romero's films? For me, it's not the originality of the plot that matters but how well the film is executed that matters and, in my opinion, DON'T HANG UP was executed extremely well. Forget that the basic plot has been done before. Suspend your imagination, follow the story for what it is, and this is one fun, entertaining, and enjoyable horror movie. On an academic scale, I give this film a solid B+