tflwerchild Reviews

Gerald's Game (2017)

Unnerving, unexpected and not to be missed!

[9/10 · 3 November 2017]

Considering how bad I think the official poster looks, I didn't have high expectations. Boy, was I wrong!

I was on the edge of my seat, cussing and yelling every five minutes, I even cried, but above all I was unnerved. A feeling I thought I would never experience again from a horror film (not since The exorcist, at least). I believe that that is how a horror film should affect you.

And guess what? Not a single jump scare!

I do enjoy horror movies, maybe a bit too much, but the thing I've grown to expect from the so called "best" is to be entertaining to some degree. I have completely forgotten that they were trying to genuinely scare you. With a few exceptions here and there, horror movies today are cash-grabs taking form in sequels, prequels and adaptations. Now, even though this film is an adaptation, it was masterfully executed.

One of the best things was the trailer itself. It underlined the main plot, but it was vague enough to gain my interest and let the film surprise me, unlike most trailers these days.

In addition, the acting was phenomenal. I have seen Carla Gugino in a few other films before, but always as a side character. After this, I truly think she should be given the opportunity to be a leading role in an abundance of upcoming films. The psychological aspect was so intriguing, her character developing at the right moments in the right way, as we, the viewers, uncover more and more about her past and about the danger lurking in the present.

The only problem I have with this film is the ending. Not so much with how it ended, but with the ambient of it. It didn't quite fit the whole flow of the previous scenes. The character's growth, as (Spoiler!) seen by her note written by and to herself, however, was a nice touch.

All in all, I really recommend you watch this movie.

Good Kids (I) (2016)

Waste of time

[2/10 · 7 July 2017]

Teen movies have always been a "guilty pleasure" that with time I've learned to ditch the guilty, and genuinely enjoy them full on. So, when I found this film, it seemed like a good watch. Original? Not really, but it didn't matter. Obviously, my expectations weren't set up high, but Jesus Christ, this movie failed to even reach a certain point of quality.

Alright, so, the goals they had set up for their "summer of yes" were fulfilled in the first half hour! Yes, conflicts ensued, but they were terribly timed. Film makers are allowed to do as they please, seeing that film making is a form of art, but in order for that "art" to be good, you do have to follow some rules of your craft. I just didn't see any of them being executed in this movie. The cinematography and screenplay were alright, but compared to other young adult films of the same year, it falls short.

To me, the only redeemable thing were the characters. Nora, Lion, Spice, and Conch (yes, Conch) were fun to watch and seemed like cool people. Andy, on the other hand got a lot more screen time than he should have. He was not a nice person, and he was pretty selfish as well. Bad characteristics don't always make a bad character, but in this case, that doesn't apply. Moreover, the relationships that formed in the end were so artificial, and I want to say predictable, but I honestly didn't think they would dive straight into cliché dreamland, so I was a bit taken aback.

And what kind of teen movie doesn't have a cool soundtrack?

2/10

Pitch Perfect 2 (2015)

Aca - disappointing!

[5/10 · 22 June 2017]

The sequel disappointed and missed the reason why the first one was so likable.

I loved the first one! It was a refreshing musical (sort of) comedy with great characters, an interesting plot and an easy flow. The problem I have with the sequel is that it tried so hard to focus on every character and how they had developed over their college years, AND include new characters which fell flat (Hailee Steinfeld aka Emily). For one, Beca's story arc was that she was planning her future and that didn't exactly involve singing acapella for the rest of her life (unlike Brittany Snow aka Chloe). This really clashed with the main conflict of the film - redeeming their title and winning the main contest. If The main character feels indifferent to the main goal and the actions needed to be taken to achieve that goal, then the audience doesn't have much to root for and look forward to. Yes, Beca didn't like acapella in the first film as well, at First! But as the story progressed, so did her interest in acapella, her character development (from being judgmental towards the girls to becoming caring and loving, and the relationship with Jesse. The sequel just shows that it has become more of a habit than an actual pleasure, and Jesse is almost no where to be found! While we're on the main character, please just stick to the one instead of showcasing the life and struggles of every other. For example, it was unnecessary to follow Emily and her mom, as well as the relationship between Fat Amy and Bumper. Had they'd been toned down or just mentioned instead of showed for a lengthy few minutes it would've been far better.

In spite all criticism, I do have to say that it was genuinely funny. The comedic part of this film did not disappoint whatsoever. Das Sound Machine were also interesting to watch, so props to that too.

All in all, I believe this movie cannot compare to its prequel and I'm not sure what to expect from the third to follow, but I don't think I'll be buying a ticket to the cinema.

I Am Not a Serial Killer (2016)

A great indie horror that deserves way more recognition

[10/10 · 8 January 2017]

If your thing is jumpscares galore or "made from the producers of most of the popular horror films this season" don't watch this movie. With that said...

As a huge horror movie fanatic, from psychological and paranormal to the gory sides of it, I've seen so many that I've grown tired of the modern cash-grabs. This is where "I am not a serial killer" separates itself from the rest.

Now, I haven't read the book, so I can't judge it based on its adaptation. However, as a standalone indie movie it surpassed all my expectations. For one, the setting isn't typically what you'd expect from a horror movie. Yes, a small town and a troubled teen, but John Wayne Cleaver (the teen), wasn't typical either. We follow a kid who has sociopathic tendencies, and the film even goes to the extent of calling him A sociopath. Yes, we've seen anti-heroes, psychopaths and sociopaths as protagonists fighting evil, but this film simply does it in, perhaps, a more honest approach. He's struggling with himself, with his violent urges and anti-social behavior, and in a way he finds escape through fighting the greater evil. And not to get too personal here, but to an extent I related to the main character. The antagonist doesn't fall in any particular category of famous horror movie villains, but it is maybe because of that, that he fit the story. The ending gave a great insight as well to his actions and his own story and we might feel, in a way, empathetic to his reasons. The supporting characters were really nicely written as well, I think.

I'm not saying this is a perfect horror movie, *cough* the CGI *cough* but I honestly don't think it'd be fair to compare it to the usual things we get these days. Whereas not only horror movies, but movies of any genre focus more on the CGI, this movie has a better developed story line, better structured characters and an intriguing calm winter aesthetic about it. It is much slower paced than regular horror flicks out there, but it really deserves a watch.

Having said all this, my intention isn't to undermine popular modern horror movies, I actually quite enjoyed "The Conjuring 2", instead to hopefully provoke people who want an aesthetically pleasing horror to watch "I am not a serial killer".

PS: I'm not sure if John Wayne Cleaver is named after John Wayne Gacy, but that'd be an interesting choice if it were true.