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Movie Review

Salem’s Lot (2024) Movie Review

Salem’s Lot – Movie Review

Salem’s Lot struggles to land the horrors involved.

First Reaction – Salem’s Lot struggles to land the horrors involved.

Director: Gary Dauberman

Writer: Gary Dauberman (Screenplay)

Writer: Stephen King (Novel)

Cast

  • Lewis Pullman (Thunderbolts)
  • Makenzie Leigh (Gotham)
  • Jordan Preston Carter
  • Alfre Woodard (Annabelle)
  • Bill Camp (The Killing of a Sacred Deer)

Plot: An author returns to his hometown of Jerusalem’s Lot in search of inspiration for his next book, only to discover that the townspeople are being attacked by a bloodthirsty vampire.

Runtime: 1 Hour 54 Minutes 

There may be spoilers in the rest of the review

Story: Salem’s Lot starts when author Ben Mears (Pullman) returns to his hometown to focus on his latest novel. Susan (Leigh) takes a quick shine to him. Elsewhere, a strange figure makes an order to a rented home, and local schoolboys deal with bullies.

When one of the schools vanishes, the town begins a panicked search. However, the children continue to be the targets as a vampire begins their bloodthirsty attack on the town. Ben must team up with Susan and other residents to fight back and protect the town.

Verdict on Salem’s Lot

Recap

The movie follows a small town coming under attack from a group of vampires. They must band together to fight back against the creatures who have been turning their own against them. It becomes a race against time to escape and stop the spread of the vampire outbreak,

Best Parts

The characters are well designed as you would expect from an original Stephen King novel. Everyone gets a chance to be flushed out and we add in the shock value for certain things which happen. We also get strong performances, which help develop the characters.

Worst Parts

The story of a vampire outbreak in a town could be interesting, but this feels slower and lacks that impact. The shock value work, but they are more for a shock value only. It also lacks the scares you would imagine too.

Final Thoughts – Salem’s Lot doesn’t have the horrors you would expect from the events.

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Movie Review

Rippy (2024) Movie Review

Rippy – Movie Review

Rippy fits the B-movie creature feature perfectly

First Reaction – Rippy fits the B-movie creature feature perfectly

Director: Ryan Coonan

Writer: Richard Barcaricchio, Ryan Coonan (Screenplay)

Cast

Plot: Obsessed with living up to her dead father’s legacy, a young sheriff finds her mettle tested when locals are found ripped to shreds.

Runtime: 1 Hour 23 Minutes 

There may be spoilers in the rest of the review

Story: Rippy starts when a small town begins getting mysterious attacks. Local Sheriff Maddie (Haubrich) tries to honour her father’s legacy and solve the case. However, Schmitty (Biehn) believes the town is under attack from a deadly killer kangaroo.

Maddie puts together a team to investigate. However, the team discovers the deadly kangaroo and its vicious nature that rips the locals apart. It becomes a race against time to save the town before it is too late.

Verdict on Rippy

Recap

The movie follows a group of small-town residents facing off against a deadly zombie kangaroo. It has been killing the locals, and now the threat must be stopped before it takes out any more of the locals.

Best Parts

This fits the concept of a B-movie monster film. It has a small town fighting an unstoppable monster or animal, and doesn’t hold back on the blood and violence of the attacks. The performances are good for the style of movie.

Worst Parts

The idea is fun and works for B-movies, but it doesn’t have too much fresh to the idea. Yes, we get a zombie kangaroo, but the character arcs are generic and don’t add too much to supporting the characters or diving into what caused the kangaroo to act the way it does.

Final Thoughts – Rippy is a fun B-movie horror movie.

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Movie Review

I Saw the TV Glow (2024) Movie Review

I Saw the TV Glow – Movie Review

"I Saw the TV Glow" is a slow-burning horror film about a student's search for a vanished friend linked to a mysterious TV show.

First Reaction – I Saw the TV Glow is a slow-burning horror that leaves you shocked.

Watch I Saw the TV Glow

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ABC Film Challenge – High School/College Movies – I

Director: Jane Schoenbrun

Writer: Jane Schoenbrun (Screenplay)

Cast

Plot: A teenager just trying to make it through life in the suburbs is introduced by a classmate to a mysterious late-night TV show.

Runtime: 1 Hour 40 Minutes 

There may be spoilers in the rest of the review

Story: I Saw the TV Glow starts when school student Owen (Smith) meets older student Maddy (Haven). They are both outsiders and bond over enjoying a late-night TV show. However, Maddy vanishes when the show ends.

8-years-later Owen still doesn’t know what happened to Maddy, but she reappears with a message for him. It drives Owen back into their favourite show in search of answers, only to uncover a disturbing truth.

Verdict on I Saw the TV Glow

Recap

The movie follows a student who meets another outsider and the pair enjoy a television. However, when she vanishes, he finds himself alone and wondering what happened to his friend. When he meets her again, she presents a disturbing story that connects their show and reality.

Best Parts

The connection between the two leads is great and shows how outsiders can come together to find a positive in life. There are uncomfortable moments and unusual sequences. Along with a bigger message that hits home for anyone who has enjoyed television shows from different eras. The performances are great and help carry the story throughout.

Worst Parts

It is slow-moving and might not hit home for people expecting more in-your-face horror moments.

Final Thoughts –I Saw the TV Glow is a calm patient horror movie.

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Movie Review

A Different Man (2024) Movie Review

A Different Man – Movie Review

A Different Man explores an aspiring actor's transformation through surgery, revealing the complexities of identity and the harsh realities of appearance.

First Reaction – A Different Man flashes a spotlight on a serious discussion.

Director: Aaron Schimberg

Writer: Aaron Schimberg (Screenplay)

Cast

Plot: An aspiring actor undergoes a radical medical procedure to drastically transform his appearance, but his new dream face quickly turns into a nightmare.

Runtime: 1 Hour 52 Minutes 

There may be spoilers in the rest of the review

Story: A Different Man starts when aspiring actor Edward (Stan) struggles to get roles because of his appearance. Even after meeting his beautiful new neighbour, Ingrid (Reinsve). However, a company has come up with a radical medical procedure which could transform his life.

Edward decides to participate in the procedure, which radically changes his appearance. His disfigurements vanish turning him into a handsome man. However, the change makes his life even more complicated as he appears as a stranger to everyone around him. Meanwhile, Oswald (Pearson) appears and offers a different look for the upcoming project that Edward would have once been perfect for.

Verdict on A Different Man

Recap

The movie follows a disfigured actor who undergoes a radical medical procedure to change his look. However, it changes the chance for a big role in a play after an actor turns up who fits the role better and has the skill to lead the role.

Best Parts

This movie has an excellent reflection on visual appearance in acting. It shows how someone’s appearance does stop them from getting roles and the transformation people go through to get their dream looks. This brings a twisted vision of chasing dreams. The performances are fantastic, and the inclusive style of filmmaking is important too. Where the comedy shines is by balancing the comedy with the drama in a deliciously dark style.

Final Thoughts –A Different Man is a fantastic dark comedy with a serious subject.

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Movie Review

The Clock (2024) Movie Review

The Clock – Movie Review

The Clock presents a family's unsettling experience with a cursed grandfather clock, featuring some scares but lacking emotional impact.

First Reaction – The Clock has a few scares but not enough to be scary.

Watch The Clock on Tubi.

Director: Rick Danford

Writer: Rick Danford (Screenplay)

Cast

  • Aimee Rolfsen (Harlow’s Haunt)
  • Shawn Ray
  • Kaitlyn Kemp (Fighting the Fire)
  • D’Andre Noire (Jesus Revolution)
  • Krista Grotte Saxon (The Penthouse)

Plot: After Mike and Sara bring home a grandfather clock, strange and frightening things begin to happen. As the incidents become more sinister, they learn that their clock, may be much more than they bargained for.

Runtime: 1 Hour 20 Minutes 

There may be spoilers in the rest of the review

Story: The Clock starts when Sara (Rolfsen) and Mike (Ray) buy a grandfather clock from a garage sale. They want to bring something more traditional to their home, with their teenage daughter Isabel (Kemp), becoming more distant.

However, once they set the clock up, strange things begin happening to their friends and neighbours. They turn to an expert who looks into the history of the item, learning the disturbing truth.

Verdict on The Clock

Recap

The movie follows a family who purchases a grandfather clock to decorate their home. However, they discover the clock is cursed, and soon their family and friends target them as the possession takes over.

Best Parts

The idea an item is cursed and an unsuspecting family unleash the curse is an interesting concept. It is a basic horror one, but effective because things can go in multiple directions. When the story remains around the family and the creepier moments, it is effective and enjoyable.

Worst Parts

A lot of the scares are placed upon family friends and neighbours, which can take away from the emotional impact of the events on the core family. By the time the family gets placed into the scary situations, nothing feels as big of an impact.

Final Thoughts –The Clock has a good idea, but the scare comes in the wrong places.

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Movie Review

Y2K (2024) Movie Review

Y2K – Movie Review

Y2K, directed by Kyle Mooney, fails to deliver sufficient horror or comedy, focusing more on teenage drama than on an engaging narrative.

First Reaction – Y2K struggles to give us enough horror, comedy or overall feeling of being in the year 2000.

Director: Kyle Mooney

Writer: Kyle Mooney, Evan Winter (Screenplay)

Cast

Plot: Two high-school nobodies make the decision to crash a Y2K party. The night becomes even crazier than they could have ever dreamed when the clock strikes midnight.

Runtime: 1 Hour 31 Minutes 

There may be spoilers in the rest of the review

Story: Y2K starts when outsider teenagers, Eli (Martell) and Danny (Dennison) want to celebrate New Year’s in 2000. They crash a high school party of Eli’s crush, Laura (Zegler) and the party creates chaos.

When the clock strikes midnight, the party goers get attacked by technology gone wrong. They must work together to escape the night and stop the apocalypse. However, the problem comes from seeing how everyone else reacts to the events.

Verdict on Y2K 

Recap

The movie follows a group of teenagers who discover the world coming to an end when the Y2K apocalypse begins. They must work together to overcome the problems and defeat the rising technology.

Best Parts

The highlight is the music, which takes us back to 2000 and the great music we used to get.

Worst Parts

This feels more like an attempt to capture the magic of ‘This is the End’ again. However, it doesn’t click very well and focuses too much on the teenage drama. There aren’t many laughs, and the bigger moments of horror are way too over the top for what the movie is trying to send us.

Final Thoughts –Y2K feels more like a weaker ‘This is the End’.

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Movie Review

Nickel Boys (2024) Movie Review

Nickel Boys – Movie Review

"Nickel Boys" explores the friendship of two African-American teens enduring abuse in a reform school, based on Colson Whitehead's novel.

First Reaction – Nickel Boys is an important, impactful journey.

Watch Nickel Boys on Prime

ABC Film Challenge – Oscar Nominated – N

Director: RaMell Ross

Writer: RaMell Ross, Joslyn Barnes (Screenplay)

Writer: Colson Whitehead (Book)

Cast

Plot: Based on the Pulitzer Prize-winning novel by Colson Whitehead, “Nickel Boys” chronicles the powerful friendship between two young African-American men navigating the harrowing trials of reform school together in Florida.

Runtime: 2 Hours 20 Minutes 

There may be spoilers in the rest of the review

Story: Nickel Boys starts when two African-American men, Elwood (Herisse) and Turner (Wilson), meet at a reform school. They live in a world where the Civil Rights Movement has been happening, meaning they still get treated differently by some white people.

The boys are sent to the school because of a crime they never committed, leading to them learning to adapt while managing the abuse they face. While there they learn more of the horrors their ancestors experienced while growing up in America.

Verdict on Nickel Boys

Recap

The movie follows two African-Americans who are forced into a reform school for crimes they never committed. They suffer abuse and record their time in the school. However, they form an unlikely friendship, giving them strength to survive the horrors.

Best Parts

The movie is shot from the character’s point of view, meaning we rarely see the character on screen. It places us in their shoes so we can experience their journey. This gives it a bigger impact for the audience to understand how difficult it would have been at that time. The performances are brilliant, and the engaging storyline keeps us wanting to know what happens next.

Final Thoughts –Nickel Boys is a moving, impactful story.

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Movie Review

Presence (2024) Movie Review

Presence – Movie Review

"Presence" is a creepy movie about a family haunted by a spirit in their new home, creating tension and revealing insights into their lives.

First Reaction – Presence is a creepy story.

Director: Steven Soderbergh

Writer: David Koepp (Screenplay)

Cast

Plot: A family becomes convinced they are not alone after moving into their new home in the suburbs.

Runtime: 1 Hour 22 Minutes 

There may be spoilers in the rest of the review

Story: Presence starts when Rebekah (Liu), Chris (Sullivan) and their children Chloe (Liang) and Tyler (Maday) move into a new dream home. However, Chloe begins to sense something around the home, as her past haunts her mind. It starts to cause a strain in the family dynamic.

However, the rest of the family sees the events and the household searches for answers. Meanwhile, the spirit is watching over the family, not trying to cause any problems.

Verdict on Presence

Recap

The movie follows a spirit watching a new family move into its home and begins watching them. However, the family searches for answers, which could cause bigger problems within the household.

Best Parts

The movie uses haunting of a home through the eyes of the spirit. It follows them around the home, giving them a glimpse into the new family life. This is a unique and interesting spin on the haunted house story. Driven by the performances which carry the movie to the highest levels.

Worst Parts

The family drama does take over more often than need be. It holds back the spirit, trying to understand what is going on in its life. There is never a big enough scare factor, as suggested.

Final Thoughts –Presence has a creepy atmosphere, but it drags along with drama.

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Movie Review

Continental Split (2024) Movie Review

Continental Split – Movie Review

Continental Split is a formulaic disaster film about seismologists racing to prevent the U.S. from splitting while grappling with personal conflicts.

First Reaction – Continental Split is the typical late-night disaster movie.

Director: Nick Lyon

Writer: Gil Luna, Joe Roche (Screenplay)

Cast

Plot: When a fault threatens to split the U.S., a desperate team of seismologists and government agents race to prevent disaster as the clock ticks down.

Runtime: 1 Hour 28 Minutes 

There may be spoilers in the rest of the review

Story: Continental Split begins when a seismic event occurs in the US. Dr Cami Weddle (Morris) must uncover the cause of the events and protect her family, Eric (Morrow) and Emily (Gold). All while dealing with an ex-husband, Alan (Bruno), who may have contributed to the disaster in the first place.

The former couple must put their differences aside to stop the impending disaster. However, it might be too late, as the destruction has begun spreading through the cities.

Verdict on Continental Split

Recap

The movie follows the desperate race to stop a disaster splitting America in half. A group of scientist race to uncover the biggest points before it spreads, but they must put their own differences aside first.

Best Parts

The disaster feels like one which could strike and would be a big race to prevent global changes to the world. There is also a message about different things which could cause environmental changes.

Worst Parts

This offers nothing new to the disaster movies, and the fact that the family seem to be the only ones risking everything to save the day is almost funny at times. Elsewhere, the performances are not the strongest, nor are the special effects. The biggest weakness comes from the fact that the world never feels lived in, as it is only our characters dealing with disaster; nobody else seems to feel like they are moving away from the disaster.

Final Thoughts – Continental Split is a by-the-book disaster movie.