Tag: 2024

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Movie Review

Your Monster (2024) Movie Review

Your Monster – Movie Review

Your Monster is a romantic-comedy-horror film about a struggling actress who discovers her inner strength through an unexpected connection with a monster.

First Reaction – Your Monster has a great message about standing up for yourself.

Director: Caroline Lindy

Writer: Caroline Linde (Screenplay)

Cast

Plot: After her life falls apart, soft-spoken actress Laura Franco finds her voice again when she meets a terrifying, yet weirdly charming Monster living in her closet. A romantic-comedy-horror film about falling in love with your inner rage.

Runtime: 1 Hour 43 Minutes 

There may be spoilers in the rest of the review

Story: Your Monster starts when down on her luck actress Laura (Barrera) discovers a monster (Dewey) in her closet. He wants her to leave the apartment, but the strange connection brings them closer, as he inspires her to continue chasing her dreams. Meanwhile, the monster final becomes a bigger part of her life.

When the two spend more time together an unlikely relationship blossoms, but can it be everything she wants? It leads her down a path to understand what is important in life and to stand up for herself.

Verdict on Your Monster

Recap

The movie follows a struggling actress who has found her timid side controlling her. However, she meets a monster in her closet who helps break her out of the bubble and show an inner rage against the people who took advantage of her.

Best Parts

There is a deeper story about understanding yourself, finding yourself and overcome your fears. It comes through strongly and the performances help make this flourish. This does a great job of showing us how people will take advantage of people and overcoming illness can change someone.

Worst Parts

The romance side of the story doesn’t feel like it fits what is going on, it can feel odd and uncomfortable at times.

Final Thoughts –Your Monster is a fun story about finding yourself.

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Movie Review

A Desert (2024) Movie Review

A Desert – Movie Review

A Desert is a disturbing film about a photographer's nightmarish road trip, blending horror and mystery effectively.

First Reaction – A Desert is creepy, disturbing and unexpected.

Where to Watch

A Desert is on UK and Ireland digital platforms on 24 November from Blue Finch Film Releasing.

Director: Joshua Erkman

Writer: Bossi Baker, Joshua Erkman (Screenplay)

Cast

Plot: A photographer’s road trip takes a dark turn when he befriends a reckless couple, plunging him into a nightmarish neo-noir spiral of unpredictable horror.

Runtime: 1 Hour 43 Minutes 

There may be spoilers in the rest of the review

Story: A Desert starts when Alex (Lennox) begins to explore his latest photography job. He spends the night in a motel and meets a reckless couple, Renny (Sherman) and Susie (Smith). However, the encounter ends in a nightmare.

Meanwhile, Alex’s wife, Sam (Lind) recruits Harold Palladino (Yow) to locate her husband. It leads him down the same path, searching for answers and getting an unexpected truth behind his encounter.

Verdict on A Desert

Recap

The movie follows a photographer searching for inspiration. However, he makes an unusual encounter with a couple, which triggers a series of unexpected events.

Best Parts

The mystery behind the disappearance is interesting to watch unfold. It keeps us guessing about the bigger picture of events and takes us down an unexpected direction. Elsewhere, it has an uneasy feeling about everything throughout the movie, which keeps us wanting to both watch and look away.

Worst Parts

The movie can jump around a bit too much, which can make it difficult to keep up with the bigger picture. While it may keep us guessing, it seems to focus on flash concepts rather than moving the story forward.

Final Thoughts –A Desert is creepy, unexpected and tense.

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Movie Review

M: Beyond the Wasteland (2024) Movie Review

M: Beyond the Wasteland – Movie Review

M: Beyond the Wasteland is an emotional zombie outbreak story focusing on survival through the eyes of a young boy.

First Reaction – M: Beyond the Wasteland is an emotional spin on the zombie outbreak story.

Where to Watch

M: Beyond the Wasteland is on digital 10 November from GrimmVision

Director: Varden Tozija

Writer: Darijan Pejovski, Vardan Tozija (Screenplay)

Cast

  • Matej Sivakov
  • Saski Kocev
  • Aleksandar Nichovski
  • Kamka Tocinovski
  • Toni Mihajlovski

Plot: The world has been ravaged by a pandemic. Alone and outside the safety of the forest, Marko faces a shattered world shrouded in silence and danger.

Runtime: 1 Hour 39 Minutes 

There may be spoilers in the rest of the review

Story: M: Beyond the Wasteland starts as Marko (Sivakov) lives with his Father (Kocev) in a pandemic-hit world. they fend for themselves, but when Marko meets Miko (Nichovski) their lives change. Marko’s world is shattered, and he must guide Miko to safety.

However, their journey is filled with dangers, including the undead roaming the countryside. Elsewhere, the humans present a risk, as they never know who to trust on their journey to find shelter and safety.

Verdict on M: Beyond the Wasteland

Recap

The movie follows a young boy living through a zombie outbreak. He meets another boy but their worlds are shattered. They must work together to survive the dangers and find a new shelter in a world without any hope.

Best Parts

The story is brilliant here; it gives us a zombie-infested world through the eyes of a child. It never overdoes the zombie involvement and places the focus on the survival elements of their lives. This is helped by the brilliant performances and the environments only continue to build the bigger story. There is an emotional level you rarely see in zombie story, either.

Final Thoughts –M: Beyond the Wasteland is an emotional journey through the apocalypse.

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Movie Review

A Mother’s Embrace (2024) Movie Review

A Mother’s Embrace – Movie Review

A Mother's Embrace is a chilling horror film about firefighters confronting sinister mysteries while evacuating a nursing home during a 1996 storm.

First Reaction – A Mother’s Embrace is an atmospheric creepy horror movie.

Where to Watch

A Mother’s Embrace is on UK and Ireland digital platforms on 10 November from Blue Finch Film Releasing.

Director: Cristian Ponce

Writer: Gabriela Capello, Andre Pereira, Cristian Ponce (Screenplay)

Cast

  • Marjorie Estiano (Under Pressure)
  • Javier Drolas
  • Pablo Guisa Koestinger
  • Thelmo Fernandes
  • Helena Varvaki

Plot: During massive 1996 Rio storm, firefighter Ana and her firefighter team must evacuate a collapsing nursing home, but the mysterious residents have other sinister plans.

Runtime: 1 Hour 30 Minutes 

There may be spoilers in the rest of the review

Story: A Mother’s Embrace starts when firefighter Ana (Estiano) and her team must evacuate a collapsing nursing home. There is a storm coming and the residents are in danger. However, a series of mysterious events complicates the simple evacuation.

Ana must dive into her past to understand the reason behind the haunting. However, her team is unprepared for what they discover, and it becomes a battle to survive.

Verdict on A Mother’s Embrace

Recap

The movie follows the events of a storm where a team of firefighters must evacuate a nursing home. However, it holds bigger secrets, and they find themselves fighting to survive against something far deadlier than a storm.

Best Parts

The mystery around the nursing home is intense and takes in direction you would never imagine. It keeps us guessing and by the time we get close to an answer, it pulls the rug out again. The performances drive the movie forward, with Marjorie Estiano balancing the real horrors with her past traumas.

Worst Parts

The misdirection creates good tension and a few surprises, but makes some sequences feel less important. Elsewhere, it leaves a bit too much to the imagination, which leaves a lot of questions about what happened.

Final Thoughts –A Mother’s Embrace has a big mystery surrounding the events with a creepy atmosphere.

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Movie Review

The Naughty List of Mr. Scrooge (2024) Movie Review

The Naughty List of Mr. Scrooge – Movie Review

The Naughty List of Mr. Scrooge is late-night slasher 101.

First Reaction – The Naughty List of Mr. Scrooge is late-night slasher 101.

Where to Watch

On digital 3 November from Miracle Media.

Director: Jake Helgren

Writer: Jake Helgren (Screenplay)

Cast

Plot: Former college friends reunite 10 years after a tragedy during a production of A Christmas Carol. Gathering at a winter chalet, they are stalked and killed one by one by someone dressed as a terrifying Ebenezer Scrooge.

Runtime: 1 Hour 30 Minutes 

There may be spoilers in the rest of the review

Story: The Naughty List of Mr. Scrooge starts when Tabby (Coyne) takes her new boyfriend, Jonny (Koth) to meet her college friends reunion. Her former college friends Kelsey (Whalen), Chandler (Fenning) and others prepare for a Christmas get-together.

However, somebody has crashed the party dressed a Ebenezer Scrooge and has begun picking off the friends. They must look into their past to understand what the killer wants or who it might be.

Verdict on The Naughty List of Mr. Scrooge

Recap

The movie follows a group of old college friends who reunite for Christmas. However, their past secrets come back to haunt them, as a killer comes to get revenge on something they did in the past, forcing them to question who is behind the killings.

Best Parts

The movie uses the slasher concept and brings us a fresh batch of victims. It plays everything pretty much by the book, using the big kills when needed. Meanwhile, it keeps you guessing as to where the final reveal will happen.

Worst Parts

When it comes to slashers, it is hard to make an impact, this doesn’t reach the levels most achieve. None of the characters are overly memorable, and even the killer and the gimmick don’t click in the way it could have.

Final Thoughts –The Naughty List of Mr. Scrooge is the typical late-night slasher.

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Movie Review

Director’s Cut (2024) Movie Review

Director’s Cut – Movie Review

Director’s Cut plays into the twisted dreams of chasing success.

First Reaction – Director’s Cut plays into the twisted dreams of chasing success.

Where to Watch

On digital 3 November from Miracle Media.

Director: Don Capria

Writer: Don Capria (Screenplay)

Cast

Plot: Excited to shoot their first music video, a punk rock band ventures into the woods of P.A. never to return.

Runtime: 1 Hour 30 Minutes 

There may be spoilers in the rest of the review

Story: Director’s Cut starts when a down-on-their-luck punk rock band gets an opportunity of a lifetime. Jay (Ivey) reluctantly agrees to take the band and friends to a remote location to shoot the video with Mister Director (Lombardi).

They are sceptical about the director and believe something dangerous could be happening. However, when they start shooting solo, Mister Director’s motivates become clear and band must fight to survive.

Verdict on Director’s Cut

Recap

The movie follows an ambitious punk rock band who jump at an opportunity to film a music video. However, the estranged director has plans for the band, which leads them into a life-or-death battle to survive the twisted ideas.

Best Parts

The movie uses the drive for success and taking risks to make a name for themselves. It fits the twisted slasher concept and never backs down from embracing the style. In the end, it fits the late-night horror idea, which gets the job done without being the best of the new idea.

Worst Parts

The band is portrayed as very naïve people, who expect success rather than work for it. However, it loses itself in the concept idea for an artistic idea, leading to horror for bloody kills.

Final Thoughts –Director’s Cut is a late-night horror treat.

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Movie Review

Juror #2 (2024) Movie Review

Juror – Movie Review

Juror #2 is a courtroom drama featuring a family man grappling with moral dilemmas that influence a crucial murder trial verdict.

First Reaction – Juror is a courtroom drama which keeps us guessing on a different level.

Director: Clint Eastwood

Writer: Jonathan A Abrams (Screenplay)

Cast

Plot: While serving as a juror in a high-profile murder trial, a family man finds himself struggling with a serious moral dilemma, one he could use to sway the jury verdict and potentially convict or free the wrong killer.

Runtime: 1 Hour 54 Minutes 

There may be spoilers in the rest of the review

Story: Juror starts when Justin Kemp (Hoult) is summoned for jury duty on the verge of his partner Allison’s (Deutch) pregnancy. They have a murder case with Faith Killebrew (Collette) trying to get the suspect locked up, while Eric Resnick (Messina) defending him.

As the case unfolds Justin finds himself in a serious moral dilemma and believes the case has a different truth. He decides to use his position on the jury to try and decide the case to clear his conscience

Verdict on Juror

Recap

The movie follows a man assigned to jury duty for a case which hits closer to home than he expected. However, his conscience begins to take over leading him to guide the jury in a different direction. Although, it takes over his life, with his partner expecting his time in running out.

Best Parts

The courtroom style thriller is always interesting to watch, and this presents something different with the truth only seen through one person. We get wonderful performances who engage us with the bigger story. It reflects the jury discussion and how people need to come to an answer dependant on different backgrounds.

Worst Parts

This doesn’t have the intensity of others, because too much is happening outside of the discussion. Which also includes amateur detectives trying to solve a case.

Final Thoughts – Juror is an intense courtroom drama, which changes the outcome of a bigger trial.

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Movie Review

The Partisan (2024) Movie Review

The Partisan – Movie Review

The Partisan is a compelling war film featuring a Polish spy navigating treachery during World War II, with strong performances.

First Reaction – The Partisan is a strong war story with excellent performances.

Where to Watch

The Partisan arrives on digital 27 October followed by DVD release 15 December, courtesy of High Fliers Films.

Director: James Marquand

Writer: James Marquand (Screenplay)

Cast

Plot: A Polish spy who works for the British during the Second World War. After a betrayal, she is compromised in Warsaw and finds herself in a murky world of treachery.

Runtime: 1 Hour 48 Minutes 

There may be spoilers in the rest of the review

Story: The Partisan starts as we meet Polish spy Krystyna Skarbek (Polanski), who has been working for the British. She remains in Poland to watch the actions of the Germans, reporting back to Trench Coat (McDowell). Krystyna must navigate the dangerous environment, never knowing who to trust to pass on information.

However, she begins to question her choices and finds herself in a treacherous area. She must decide what is the most valuable decision of her life, which could help turn the tides of the war.

Verdict on The Partisan

Recap

The movie follows a Polish spy working for the British. She must navigate the German invasion to uncover the secrets before being discovered. However, it will test her resolve in the battle for the truth.

Best Parts

The movie takes on the story of a spy in the horrific time of World War II. It effectively utilises this to showcase her intelligence in avoiding capture and keeps her making a difference in the larger story. The performances are great and help carry the story.

Worst Parts

While the story has an interesting series of events, it doesn’t do much to be different from many other stories. It doesn’t stand out from anything else, and by the end, the pacing isn’t as strong as the story.

Final Thoughts –The Partisan is a strong war story with great performances.

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Movie Review

Strange Harvest (2024) Movie Review

Strange Harvest – Movie Review

Strange Harvest is a chilling journey through a horrific crime.

First Reaction – Strange Harvest is a chilling journey through a horrific crime.

Where to Watch

Strange Harvest will be available on Digital Download in the UK on 27th October and in Australia on 29th October.

Director: Stuart Ortiz

Writer: Stuart Ortiz (Screenplay)

Cast

Plot: Detectives are thrust into a chilling hunt for “Mr. Shiny”-a sadistic serial killer from the past whose return marks the beginning of a new wave of grotesque, otherworldly crimes tied to a dark cosmic force.

Runtime: 1 Hour 34 Minutes 

There may be spoilers in the rest of the review

Story: Strange Harvest starts when Detective Joe Kriby (Zizzo) recounts the investigation into the return of sadistic serial killer Mr Shiny. He worked with Detective Lexi Taylor (Apple) as they reviewed the case that defined their careers.

It follows the original killings and the sudden disappearance of the serial killer, until 2010, when they returned for a new spree. The detectives go through the different symbols behind each horrific murder.

Verdict on Strange Harvest

Recap

The movie uses the documentary format to examine the horrific murders by a serial killer. It follows their case as they reveal each gruesome death as they search for answers before the killer strikes again.

Best Parts

The documentary format is a massive bonus for the movie; it adds an air of realism to the case. We know this because we see many real-life crime documentaries, and this follows those steps. Each reveal is more disturbing and chilling, which balances the line between real and fictional.

Worst Parts

This does push the limits of what people are willing to watch. It is very disturbing how the crimes are handled and examined, which is going to upset people.

Final Thoughts –Strange Harvest is a chilling, disturbing and uncomfortable movie.