Freaky

Freaky is about a bullied teenage girl (played by Kathryn Newton) who swaps bodies with a serial killer (played by Vince Vaughn). The movie is co-written and directed by Christopher Landon, who also wrote and directed the Happy Death Day movies. One of the first things about this movie I loved is that it takes that extra step and goes for the R rating. The kills are nice and gory. Of course, the two leads are really what make this movie work for me, especially Vince Vaughn. It is so entertaining to see him act like a teenage girl. I do think the movie does a solid job of mixing the horror and the comedy, even if I won't go so far as to say it's done particularly great. My one real issue with the movie is that I don't think it does the best job in terms of family dynamics. It seems like that's what Landon was going for. However, our protagonist spends more time with her friends than her own family. However, the other part of this movie is the protagonist learning to come out of her shell a little bit more, and come to terms with needing to speak up for herself. I actually think that part of the movie works pretty well. Overall, Freaky has some bumps here and there, but the overall result is fun little slasher comedy.

8 / 10  

Child's Play 2

 

Two years after the events of the first film, Andy Barclay is sent to live with a foster family. It doesn't take long before Chucky the killer doll returns to exact vengeance. Along the way, the doll leaves another trail of bodies. If the first film offered more of a mystery leading up to the reveal that Chucky was the killer, this movie lets Chucky off his leash. Therefore, there's more of a straight up slasher feel to this movie by comparison. I see it as a good thing because knowing Chucky is the killer throughout the entire thing means we actually get more of him. I absolutely love Brad Dourif in the role. I also really like that the movie puts some focus on a foster family. It's not something you really see that often in horror movies. The kills can also be pretty effective. I can think of two of them that are among my favorite Chucky kills of all time. Overall, I see Child's Play 2 as being pretty on par with the first film. It's a movie that actually continues the story of the first film, but doesn't feel entirely restricted by the exact same rules. It also doesn't entirely feel like a movie that does the exact same thing again. There is a little bit of that feeling, but nowhere near enough to ruin the movie by any means. 

8 / 10       

Happy Birthday to Me

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Well, yesterday was my birthday. So, let's talk about an 80s slasher movie with a birthday theme. You probably already know that I am a sucker for slasher movies. One I personally enjoy is Happy Birthday to Me. My favorite aspects of this movie are the kills. They are fun and gruesome. The acting actually isn't half bad in my opinion either. It isn't necessarily amazing. However, I have seen much worse in terms of slasher movies. I also genuinely love the twist involving the killer and the final girl. Both of these archetypes are played with in a really solid way, and I have to appreciate that. I won't give the twist away in this review, but know this is something I loved about this movie. The characters aren't particularly deep, but that's something you kind of just come to expect out of a lot of slasher movies. Plot wise, the movie actually is mostly simple. The final plot reveal is really the only complicated piece to the plot. This is a movie I enjoy as a horror fan and as a slasher fan. If you aren't a fan of slashers, this won't be the movie that sways you. If you are a fan slashers, even if you're only a casual fan, then I would recommend giving this movie a look.

8 / 10 

Birds of Prey (and the Fantabulous Emancipation of One Harley Quinn)

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Birds of Prey sees Margot Robbie reprising her role as Harley Quinn. She finds herself in the crosshairs of Ewan McGregor’s Roman Sionis following her break-up with the Joker because their relationship allowed Harley some semblance of protection. In all honesty, the story’s almost difficult to describe. Harley narrates the movie. So, you’re getting the plot from a pretty scattershot point of view. While this can occasionally make things feel like they have something of a style over substance feel, it’s not something that ever really bothered me. The movie’s biggest issue is that it’s a Birds of Prey movie. The movie should have been called Harley Quinn. Harley’s the undisputed lead in this film. The birds of prey themselves are good. They are there. It just felt like calling this Birds of Prey feels like a miscalculation. The characters are what really drive this movie forward. The characters are the most entertaining part of the movie, especially Harley and Roman Sionis. It helps that Margot Robbie and Ewan McGregor really sell their roles. I also want to give the action sequences props. They are a ton of fun to watch. Overall, Birds of Prey has some pretty minor flaws, but the overall result is a movie that is a ton of fun, and I do feel comfortable recommending this movie. 

8 / 10 

The Nightmare Before Christmas

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Jack Skellington is the pumpkin king, and he rules over Halloween. But, after years of doing the same thing every year, he begins to yearn for something difference. So, after he accidentally stumbles across Christmastown, he decides he wants to take Christmas for himself. There's a lot about this movie to love. The animation is awesome. I really appreciate how much time and effort goes into claymation. But, it goes deeper than that as well. The characters all have this distinct look to them that helps make them stand out. The music is quite catchy, even if I personally feel like a lot of the more Christmas-based music is some of the weaker music in the film, but it's still solid. The character's aren't super-deep, but they feel like they're as deep as they need to be. Since this is a kids' movie, I don't necessarily need them to be. This may not be one of my all-time favorites, but it's still an enjoyable movie with a distinct look that's worth a look by fans of off-kilter Christmas movies (as well as fans of Halloween) since this film can easily be watched on both holidays.

8 / 10 

Terminator: Dark Fate

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A young woman named Dani (played by Natalia Reyes) is hunted by a new breed of terminator known as the Rev-9 (played by Gabriel Luna). In order to survive, Dani must join forces with an enhanced human named Grace (played by Mackenzie Davis), Sarah Connor (played by Linda Hamilton), and an aged T-800 (played by Arnold Schwarzenegger). I should start by saying that this movie has a plot point within the first few minutes that will divide people. I’m not going to go into spoilers, but you’re either going to hate it or you’re going to roll with it. Personally, I actually was able to roll with it. To me, this is a moment that felt earned as the movie went on. I appreciate that this movie took Terminator back to its rated R roots. For the most part, the acting is solid. For the most part, the effects are pretty solid too. Some of the CGI can look a little rough. There is one thing that really stands out to me in particular. I love the Rev-9 as a villain. He is the first terminator since the T-1000 that I found to be a truly menacing antagonist. The action is pretty fun, overall. I love how Sarah Connor and the T-800 play into this film and its story (especially Arnold Schwarzenegger as the T-800). Some of the writing can feel a little forced and unnecessary, but never to the point where I find it too distracting. Is Terminator: Dark Fate as good as the first two movies? No. It is better than 3, 4, and 5 in my opinion, and that’s really all I wanted out of this movie. Do you need to rush out and see this movie? No, but I still recommend it.  

8 / 10 

Zombieland: Double Tap

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Zombieland: Double Tap takes place ten years after the events of the first film. If there is any flaw that can be levied against this film, it would be that it isn’t as fresh as the first film (something that is very difficult for a sequel to accomplish). However, I still had a ton of fun with this movie. I didn’t go into it expecting something groundbreaking. I went into it wanting a film that was just going to be fun. Even after all these years, I still feel like the cast is having a ton of fun in their roles. The chemistry is still clearly there. I also love the new addition of Zoey Deutsch as Madison. In the hands of a less capable actress, this character would probably be grating. But, she’s a ton of fun. I’m glad the zombies have actually evolved in this film, and are broken down into subcategories. I also love the fact that there were actions taken by the characters during the first film’s events, and they have some acknowledgment in this film. I can’t say it’s as quotable as the first movie, but it’s still a lot of fun, and I really have to recommend this film to fans of the first movie. If you liked Zombieland, you’ll like Zombieland: Double Tap. 

8 / 10 

Halloween H20

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Twenty years have passed since the events of Halloween and Halloween II. Laurie Strode (played by Jamie Lee Curtis) has since faked her death and now lives in California under an alias, alongside her teenage son, John (played by Josh Hartnett). John makes Halloween plans with his friends and his  girlfriend Molly (played by Michelle Williams). Before too long, Michael Myers resurfaces after a long hibernation to wreak bloody havoc once again. The first thing to take note of is that this film actually ignores everything that happened after Halloween II, and that's something that honestly works in H20's favor. You see just how haunted Laurie Strode is, and you understand why she acts the she does. You also kind of understand John's perspective too. Until now, he hasn't had to deal with Michael Myers. In his eyes, Michael is dead. While the characters aren't super deep, you at least like most of them. The actors pretty much all do decent jobs with their roles. These aren't necessarily the best performances by these actors, but they serve the film well. The ending is something I have mixed feelings about. I do genuinely like it, but it's something I'll talk more about when I talk about Resurrection. The kills are pretty tame. They aren't awful, but they don't really do much to stand out to me. Most of the film's meta humor and dialogue works for me. However, every now and then, you do get a joke that doesn't land. A nitpicky complaint I've brought up with some of the past movies is when I don't particularly like Michael's mask. Well, there's a scene in this movie where the mask is CGI. 

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It looks genuinely bad. On top of that, I kind of feel like it's pointless. It was added during re-shoots to replace the mask that had already used, and apparently the scene couldn't be re-shot. So, I have to ask, was it worth it? Overall, I quite enjoy Halloween H20 as one of my personal favorites of the franchise. It's not a perfect movie by any means, but it is one of the films I have the most fun with. 

8 / 10 

Sleepaway Camp

1983's Sleepaway Camp is widely (and deservedly) considered a cult classic amongst fans of 1980s slasher films. The story follows 13-year-old Angela Baker (played by Felissa Rose) and her cousin Ricky (played by Jonathan Tiersten) when they are sent to summer camp. Soon after they arrive, dead bodies begin to pile up, leaving everyone to wonder who the killer could possibly be. I feel like there really is a lot to compliment about Sleepaway Camp. While it's nothing groundbreaking, I genuinely like a lot of the acting in the movie. Felissa Rose as Angela is clearly the standout performer to me. She doesn't have a lot of dialogue, and she makes her limited amount of speech genuinely work. Most of the time, the character has this blank stare on her face. This is a movie that I actually think is genuinely rewarding to watch twice. The first time, it's good to go in as blind as possible, thanks to the film's twist ending which I don't dare spoil. When you watch a second time, knowing the film's ending, you can actually pick up on the clues. The kills are pretty creative as well. One of my personal favorites is one you see silhouetted and involves a curling iron. You kind of have an idea of what's happening, but it's left to the imagination just enough. The directing isn't the strongest in this film, which makes sense when you consider this is the first of only two films directed by Robert Hiltzik (the second one being 2008's Return to Sleepaway Camp). Overall, Sleepaway Camp has some very small rough patches, but the overall product is a film that genuinely works. It deserves to be seen by any fan of the slasher genre.

8 / 10 

Fast & Furious 6

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So, here it is, the last film I have to review in the Fast and the Furious franchise (that I haven't already reviewed). Following the events of Fast Five, a team of criminals led by Owen Shaw (played by Luke Evans) are stealing high-tech devices, which could be dangerous for the world at large. Luke Hobbs (played by Dwayne Johnson) seeks out Dom Toretto (played by Vin Diesel) and his team to help stopping them. To complicate matters further, it turns out that Shaw's second in command is Dom's thought-to-be-dead girlfriend, Letty (played by Michelle Rodriguez). So, at this point, the Fast and the Furious franchise has veered into becoming a soap opera disguised as over the top action movies. And I kind of love them for that. I love that these movies have really started leaning into being stupid and ridiculous. Once again, I really have to praise the chemistry between the cast, as well as the performance by Dwayne Johnson as Luke Hobbs (who practically oozes charisma). For once, I genuinely enjoy the villains in this movie, especially Luke Evans as Owen Shaw. This is the first film in the franchise where I felt the antagonist was genuinely memorable and charismatic. It does have a similar problem as Fast Five, in that it is probably a little too long. Like Fast Five, this film is 130 minutes, which is just kind of unnecessary. As always, the action is a ton of fun, and is easily the reason you should even consider watching this movie. This isn't a perfect film, but it still stands out as one of the best in the Fast and the Furious franchise.

8 / 10 

Rambo: Last Blood

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Roughly ten years after the events of 2008’s Rambo, John Rambo (played yet again by Sylvester Stallone) has lived a quiet and peaceful life. A teenage girl he shares a bond with finds herself in deep trouble, Rambo soon finds himself drawn back into a world of blood and revenge. From a performance standpoint, this actually might be the best that Stallone has been as Rambo since First Blood. Here, Rambo’s an older man who has finally found the quiet he has been seeking for so long, even though we can clearly see he’s still somewhat haunted by events from his past. The action is visceral. It’s not as gratuitous as it is in 2008’s Rambo, but it’s still pretty gnarly, and I kind of love that about this film. The villains aren’t super strong. They feel more like they are cannon fodder than anything else. But, I don’t really have an issue with that in this film. The film is really short, clocking in around 89 minutes. I’m of two minds on this. On one hand, I’m glad this isn’t 2 and a half hours (which it easily could have been). On the other hand, there are points where I feel like the movie wants to get to certain places. I think this movie could have been 10 minutes longer, and I would have been OK with that. That way, there are points that don’t feel rushed, but then the movie isn’t so long it wears out its welcome. Overall, Rambo: Last Blood is actually a really solid action sequel. Whether or not this is truly the Last Blood, I have no idea. But, I had a really good time with this film. 

8 / 10