Let’s clear something up first – I know IMDb has this movie as a 2021 release, but it’s not. The way they operate is if the film had any premiere, no matter how small, that’s the year they are going with. And The Black Phone did premiere at two festivals in late 2021; however, the movie did not have its “full” US and international release until June 2022, so I will stick to that. I hate these technicalities where a movie played in one or two festivals, but it’s not released wide until several months later… it’s just confusing for everybody.

I was pretty hyped for this movie because Scott Derrickson has made some great films (many love the first Doctor Strange (2016) movie) and one excellent horror film. I am, of course, talking about Sinister (2012). I made the grave error of seeing it in the cinemas, and that still remains to this day the movie that affected me so much I couldn’t sleep well that night (what didn’t help was the screening finished around 10 PM). So yeah, Scott coming back to the horror genre and making a movie based on a short story by Joe Hill (Stephen King‘s son)? It doesn’t get any better than that, does it? And yet, what should have been another excellent horror, ended up being… still great but slightly underwhelming.

The first thing you can feel is the, for the lack of a better word, “Kinginess” of it all. Although Stephen didn’t write it, his son seems to like many of his dad’s elements (the 70s, high school bullies, kidnapped children), but if it ain’t broke, you know how that saying goes. And also, that wasn’t my issue with this film. The only serious gripe I had was that you could tell this was based on a short story by Hill. Yes, although this movie has a reasonable runtime of 103 minutes, at times, you can almost feel like this should have been even shorter. Maybe that story didn’t justify feature-length treatment at all. I don’t know, I didn’t read it, but there were a few scenes where it seemed like they were padding the runtime by any means necessary, especially towards the end. Not to mention, the movie feels like a fucked-up version of an escape room, where the ghosts tell him where the next useful thing might be hidden.

Luckily for most of this movie, you can focus on great actors. Mason Thames was a perfect choice, his character has the most growth out of all characters in the film, and he sells it without a hitch. Ethan Hawke is scary and mysterious, and although we never know much about his character, I didn’t mind that level of “mystique”. Every time he was on the screen, I was captured by his performance, despite the fact he wore a mask covering his mouth for most of the film. But I would argue the main star is Madeleine McGraw, aka Gwen. Her tenacity, pluckiness and general attitude (“Jesus. What the fuck?“) are so addictive, and she provides everything. From some moments of much-needed levity to an emotional scene at the end. I hope to see her in more movies.

I also liked the subversion of the “bad/alcoholic dad” trope. Jeremy Davies shines in this role, and when we are first introduced to him, we think we know exactly where this is going because we have seen this (alcoholic dad character) done to death. However, I am in the camp of “there is more than meets the eye”, as, throughout the movie, you can actually understand him and see him clearly, not as a monster, but as a broken man who only does what he thought was the best, mainly for his daughter. As with The Grabber (Ethan’s character), it is left very much up to you whether the dad has changed at the end or not.

Many times on this blog, you could see me write something like: “This should have been a TV show”, but I honestly feel like The Black Phone has the opposite problem. For everything I have just listed (and it is a great movie I would still recommend), I can’t shake the feeling that if you are adapting a short story, you should make sure it justifies a feature-length movie. Because for as many excellent things as I can name about this movie, I can’t still get over that weird thing where the film has you hooked from the start, only for it to let you go over time. And sure, the ending is brilliant, but everything in between is… fine. And I know Scott is capable of more than just “fine”.

Overall, The Black Phone is a great movie that could have been excellent if only we had something more to chew on. It’s an interesting tale of a superb beginning, an okay middle portion and an excellent ending that would, in most cases, make for slightly above the average rating. However, thanks to Scott behind the camera and are four main protagonists, I must go somewhat higher, as it has an undisputed quality. I would recommend The Black Phone, especially if you crave something “Stephen King-like”.

That’s all for this one! Did you see it? What did you think about it? Let me know!

Until next time,

Luke

I will be the first one to admit that the Guardians films never hit me as much as others around me. Since the first Guardians of the Galaxy (2014) came out, I have seen and met many people who adored that film. And I never hated it, but I “just” liked it. And the same happened with the sequel from 2017, which I also like but do not love. Sure, I haven’t watched either of them since then, so I might feel different now, but I doubt it. And the reason for that is Vol.3 is the best Guardians film, and I loved… some scenes/pieces of it. But this film is one of those “the pieces are better than the overall picture”.

I will have to do something I usually avoid, especially with movies as new as this one, but I will have to go into full spoiler talk soon, as I can’t otherwise explain my issues with this film. As I alluded to, there were moments I thought this film was brilliant. Some scenes and characters worked for me, and I liked what the movie was doing. But the longer the film went on, the more I found myself frustrated with the writers wanting to make you feel some stakes and never committing to anything meaningful. Despite the fact “meaningful” no longer matters in the MCU, when your characters can simply come back from the dead, and all we get is a jokey explanation for it.

Before diving into the spoilers, I must say I have enjoyed the focus on Rocket, I liked what they did with his character, the things that were hinted at in the past paid off, and we finally saw his (very dark) past. I must command that decision, as this film might just be MCU’s darkest film to date. It’s not necessarily scary (even though I can imagine some scenes giving 10-year-olds nightmares), but most of Rocket’s past and the main storyline are darker than usual because it touches on real-life things (the most obvious example is the cruelty of animal testing). I liked that aspect and how this movie felt like one of the most “adult” MCU films to date. Hence I regret that I can’t just find the strength to reward this film with a higher rating for a few reasons.

Beware, SPOILERS are coming!

This might be an issue on my receiver; for example, I might have missed something in some other MCU film since Avengers: Endgame (2019), but how the fuck is Gamora alive? Yes, they say it quite clear she isn’t the same Gamora and something about her being from some alternate reality or something, but… The film really skips over that. It made me question whether I have missed some Marvel special explaining this or whether they loved Zoe Saldaña so much they had to bring her back. Look, you don’t have to convince me hard for Zoe’s comeback; I am a big fan of hers. But her death meant something in the Endgame and for Star Lord’s character (Chris Pratt) too; as seen in the beginning of this film. And yeah, I have read the official justification on IMDb, but… it doesn’t work for me. As much as I love Zoe and her portrayal of Gamora, I feel like not having her in this film would have had a more meaningful impact on this film, like there are actual stakes. That brings me to my biggest problem with this film.

“Stakes? What is this strange word; is it French? Don’t know it!” – says Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3. As the film constantly hints at everybody being killed at some point (and I mean every major actor), and just when you think they are actually going through with it, they are back alive. The most egregious examples are Drax (Dave Bautista) and Star-Lord. Drax gets shot straight to his chest and back, collapses to the ground, and epically sad music starts playing; you think that’s it; there is no way he is recovering… Nah, get fucked! He’s fine on his feet (well being carried by Mantis, portrayed by Pom Klementieff), and it’s not addressed at all afterwards; he is just peachy for the rest of the film. The same with Star-Lord; he (yet again) freezes up in space, and it seems like there is no saving him until the almost literal deus-ex-machine (in the form of Will Poulter) saves him.

I understand that, to some degree, the same can be said about most MCU films, but here, especially with the story being centred on endings and new beginnings, it felt like the movie wanted to have it both ways. They want you to feel like this story is so different and anything can happen, but the moment they can be different than the rest of the MCU, they always chicken out, just so we could have the actors available for other movies or possibly one last Guardians film… Who knows. I don’t mind suspending my disbelief, especially if watching a comic book movie. However, if you brand yourself as the “edgy one”, like this crazy, quirky comic-book film where anything can happen, and you make it so close to having a few meaningful deaths and then always pull back at the very last second, it feels contradictory.

Which was a shame as I have enjoyed most of the film; as mentioned before, Rocket’s incredibly sad backstory was heart-breaking, and with his almost death and coming back alive, I was ok with it. Because we spent so much time with him, I didn’t feel cheated by that, and I am glad he is now the new leader of this brand new team of Guardians. I also enjoyed the villain (portrayed by Chukwudi Iwuji) despite him getting almost cartoony towards the end, but overall he definitely belongs to the conversation of most intriguing MCU villains. I also need to shout out Bautista and Pom Klementieff, as both of their characters serve mainly as comedic reliefs, but they still managed to find some scenes to shine and have an impact. I don’t think they get enough credit for their work, especially the comedy elements that could have turned annoying fast, and yet they never failed to at least make me smile, if not a full-on laugh.

It will be interesting to see whether we will ever get the “original” Guardians, as a few have left the team, but given all of them are still alive, I would not rule it out. And I am looking forward to seeing what this new team can do, but it will be weird without James Gunn. Hopefully, Marvel will take some notes and hire some other, not mainstream director(s), and give them more of a “free range” over the film. Even though they might not be 100% my cup of hot cocoa, I can’t deny the success this trilogy (well, trilogy and the Holiday Special (2022)) has had. And this one is definitely the wildest, most out-there film yet, and this is precisely what Marvel needs – something a bit more out there to break through the mould of averageness.

Overall, Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 is the best Guardians film by far. It still has some issues, mainly not being as “daring” as the movie seems to think it is, but it is a good time with a bunch of unique characters that gel together well. That and the soundtrack is always spot-on. I would say, if you loved the previous two Guardians movies, this is an easy choice. If you are like me and still haven’t gotten the love for these unique weirdos, I would still recommend it, as the film has enough themes and well-shot action sequences to keep you entertained.

That’s all for this one! Did you see it? What did you think about it? Let me know!

Until next time,

Luke

This film is one of those simple, straight-to-the-point movies I admire. I am all for having a complex story with even more complex characters, but every here and there, it’s a blast to watch something that has a simple premise, gets to it quickly, and it knows when to end. And since the premise here seems to be: “What if the kid from Home Alone (1990) was a girl and more of a psychopath?” I was down with this film almost instantly.

Of course, it’s not as simple as I make it out to be, as Becky (the name of the movie and our titular character) starts as your stereotypical teenager that is pushed one too many times by bad guys, who decide to ambush her, her dad and potential step-mom at their cabin. I liked the progression of her character, from trying to get away at first, clearly thinking about the situation, and only when something big happens (no spoilers here, but I think you’d hardly be surprised), she snaps and goes full-on Rambo mode. Except she isn’t Sylvester Stallone, an Italian stallion full of muscles on top of another, bigger muscles. She is “just” a little girl who shoves us how no matter the size or gender, anyone is capable of the most horrendous act of violence if pushed to a breaking point.

Sure, you can make an argument about Becky being just a dark, twisted film full of violence and gory details. And you would not be wrong per se; there is quite a lot of violence and gore. I was surprised that the camera wasn’t “shy” to capture a few brutal stunts, so if you are a squeamish person who can’t handle gore very well, this film might not be for you. But to me, the main reason I enjoyed this film so much was two performances, one by our main protagonist Lulu Wilson and the other by, and I can’t believe I am writing this, Kevin James. Yep, that Kevin James.

Let’s start with Lulu – I wasn’t that familiar with her. Apparently, she was in Sharp Objects (2018), but I would be lying if I said I remembered her. But I will remember her from now on, as she was awesome in this film. Her performance was precisely what this film needed, she led this film effortlessly, and I was with her for the entire movie; she portrayed this complicated character very well. Regarding Kevin James, this might be his best performance, hands down, simply because of how different it is from anything he had ever done before this. Forget the loveable goofball who somehow lands the hottest women in his films, no. In Becky, he is this Nazi leader, the personification of evil. When he and his “buddies” escape from prison, it’s more than implied they kill a family (children included) to get to the cabin where Becky is. I was genuinely shocked at how much I enjoyed James’ performance in this film, and I hope this wasn’t just a one-off, and he will consider playing more dramatic or “straight” roles more often as he has a talent. You quickly forget that this is the same actor who portrayed Paul Blart.

The only negative thing I could say about this film is the more Becky fights, the less believable those scenes get, especially towards the end. I am all for empowerment and all that stuff, but body mass matters and especially a certain “scene in the field” didn’t ring true whatsoever. I liked the parts before, where she managed to surprise her opponents and took advantage of the situation, but especially towards the end, she survives a bit too much. And I am writing this as a person who was rooting for her the entire film.

But honestly, that’s about it. I know there is a sequel coming out this year (The Wrath of Becky, 2023), and I can honestly say if it is playing somewhere around me, I will support the creators by going to see it in the cinemas. I am not expecting something mind-blowing, but as long as they stick to their guns, develop the character further and keep it simple, I will be there. As the meme goes, I don’t just support women’s rights; I support women’s wrongs. And I wouldn’t want to stumble across Becky in the woods in her cute bear hat, covered with blood.

Overall, Becky is a simple 93 minutes in-and-out film that you will either have a good time with or not. Due to its simplicity, it’s almost that binary; you are either all in for all the violence, gore and little girl murdering people, or it may not just be your cup of hot cocoa. If it’s not, I can’t blame you. But it was mine, and I enjoyed my time with Becky. I enjoyed Kevin James’ performance, and therefore I enjoyed this film. And I hope I will write the same thing once I see the sequel. As long as you don’t mind gory scenes, I would recommend Becky.

That’s all for this one! Did you see it? What did you think about it? Let me know!

Until next time,

Luke

I remember seeing this film dropping on Netflix in the fall of 2022 and seeing people mostly praising it, especially for its technical side. It has been on my queue for a while, but when it got nominated for nine (!) Oscars, it jumped to the top of my queue as I always try to watch as many nominated films as possible before the ceremony. Of course, this review was written long after the ceremony, so we now know it managed to win four out of those nine nominations (Best International Feature, Best Achievement in Music Written for Motion Pictures (Original Score), Best Achievement in Cinematography and Best Achievement in Production Design). Not too bad for Netflix. Anyway, there is another “twist” with this review, this is one of the rare ‘based on the book’ films, and I actually read the book some time ago. But I remember liking it; the book sucked you in and described the horrors of war well, especially the “meat grinder” process. Where (mainly) young soldiers are replaced by other young soldiers whilst this war goes on. I also, given the… nerd? Cinephile? All the above? Yes, you can call me all the things above; I watched the “original” film All Quiet on the Western Front (1930), which won Best Picture and Director that year! See, directors and producers in Hollywood, there is a clear cheat code for winning some Oscars! You just have to remake All Quiet on the Western Front! 😉

If only it were that easy, but it is a fascinating coincidence that both the original film and this “remake” managed to impress that much. Before we get into this one, let me give you a quick review of the 1930 classic because it will play somehow important part in this review later on. The 1930 film is still a great showcase of the brutality of war; it especially delves into the characters and “replaceability” portion of war well. However, it is a war film made in 1930, and the time was not as kind to this film as to many others from the same era, so it drags a bit too much. Its runtime of 152 minutes also isn’t helping. But it is still a solid film, 7/10.

Now the 2022 film focuses heavily on the technical side, from stunning cinematography to the score; I will discuss this in detail soon, as that seems to be a bit of a controversial topic. This film shows you everything in such a stunning way it’s hard not to watch it with amazement sometimes, especially; if you can stream it in 4K on a 4K TV. I could understand why it got nominated (and even won some) for the technical categories, as this film is visually stunning. Where it lacked; is the story/overall theme of the original book or even the movie from 1930.

Let me explain – we get the “meat grinder” element in this film in the first scene, and it was done/shot well. But everything after that felt like something we have seen before, many times. That is the one disadvantage of war films (and if you think about it, it’s pretty fucked up) that we saw so many of them over the years from so many different wars it’s hard for any of them to make an impact anymore. You still feel all the despair; you still feel the hatred towards the people on the very top who have all the time to talk details about while somewhere else entirely, young men die. But we became so desensitised to it all that it no longer packs that punch it should have. Also, I couldn’t help but think the people behind this film focused more on the technical side to make it stand out that way, and that is why I found the narrative element got lost a bit. So, I found myself in a weird situation, especially watching the original from 1930 and this movie back-to-back. I was bored more with the original but liked the story/overall narrative, and I liked this one from the technical/visual side but thought the narrative side wasn’t as impactful as the “original”.

Let’s talk about the soundtrack that managed to win the Oscar too. I am not ashamed to say I loved it, but it had to grow on me throughout the film. Because the first time it pops up (and I am, of course, talking about the “bass element”), it almost takes you out of the film as it sounds almost too modern. But the more time I spent watching the movie, the more I got into it. And in a sense, I wish the story wasn’t afraid to take such a massive risk because that would be one way to do it. If you think about it, whether you love or hate the soundtrack (and I have seen many who don’t like it), you notice it. It announces itself it won’t blend with other war movies’ soundtracks. And that (at least, I believe) was the point. It felt like Volker Bertelmann (the man behind it) had a realisation that if this movie has any chance of standing out, he needs to do something that hasn’t been done before in this genre. He took a big swing, and it worked. And I wish the film followed his example and tried something new-ish too.

I am and have always been a believer in judging something on its own merits. So even if I forget the film from 1930, All Quiet on the Western Front is a technically flawless film that managed to find something to make it stand out amongst the other war films. Unfortunately, that something wasn’t the most important part of any film, the story/narrative. And maybe, that’s the cruel irony of this film because even the movies (both this one and the original) and the book talk about how war never changes. And now, that was my main issue with this film, how nothing about it will surprise you. Is it really a fault with this film then or the war itself? Deep, I know, bet you weren’t expecting that 😉

Overall, All Quiet on the Western Front is a film that’s worth watching, especially if your broadband speed and TV can give you the 4K experience this film was made for. There is some chance that if you haven’t watched the 1930 film or never read the book, you may like it even more than me. I would still recommend this latest retelling of this famous novel that shows you how war never changes, using the same beats we can all expect from a war movie. And again, if you think about that sentence, how many different war films we’ve had because we have had so many wars just in the past 100 years, that’s fucking depressing.

That’s all for this one! Did you see it? What did you think about it? Let me know!

Until next time,

Luke

This might have been one of the most surprising Oscar nominations of the 2023 Oscars. But I can’t say I was mad about it, as The Sea Beast is a beautifully animated, well-told film with a great message. That almost makes up for the fact that the story is predictable, and the film may or may not be a “rip-off” of How to Train Your Dragon (2010). But unlike How to Train Your Dragon, this movie takes the concept of “legends/history being told by winners” even further.

First of all, I really enjoyed the animation style. It was vibrant and colourful, and it didn’t seem too “generic”. Everything from the humans to the sea creatures, water, and different settings throughout the film, there was always something interesting to look at, and it never felt like I would mix it up with a different animated movie. And that’s a plus in my book. Now, is this animation so unique? No, but it doesn’t have that stereotypical Pixar or DreamWorks look we are used to by now, hence it is more pleasing to watch and remember.

Where The Sea Beast really shines; is the overall message rather than the story. As I have alluded to above, the story is a bit generic; it is just a means to get to the message, which is pretty complex. Not only do we have the already mentioned How to Train Your Dragon influence (a mythical creature is known to be evil, only for our heroine to learn they are not evil), but this film took it one step further. The thing about re-writing history is not only to scare people but also to profit off them and make yourself into the ruler… Especially in today’s age when we question everything, and we learn every day that this historical figure or fact is not exactly what we have been told all our lives, that is hard to wrap your head around sometimes.

Another thing about this message is also; how heroes could be the “bad guys”. Or how some people can be celebrated in their time, only for future generations to discover that they were not as heroic as they seemed. The Sea Beast talks about many complex themes, and as somebody who enjoys history and open discussion about what is right, wrong and in between, I liked this aspect. And it almost makes me forgive this film for being so predictable.

By far, that was my biggest complaint about this film. If the themes were clever, the story felt like a template for most adventure films. It was almost like the people behind this film started with those themes first and then designed this average, middle-of-the-road story around it just to get them to the scenes they needed to get to. I can forgive it, as the animation was stunning, and the overall theme/message of this film was done well; it just felt incomplete. I will give you an example – imagine you going to this fancy restaurant. The starter arrives, and you love it. Shortly after, the main comes, and that meal is one of the best meals you have ever had. And then, you simply want to finish on a good note; you are patiently awaiting the dessert, and it is… just ok. It doesn’t hinder those two meals you have just had, but it leaves you slightly disappointed, as it feels out of place.

Overall, The Sea Beast is a clever animated movie you will like whilst your kids might love it. Especially when Blue shows up, as that might be one of the cutest creatures in recent animated history. The movie has smart themes, but they are put across in an easy way, so everyone can still enjoy the film, and the runtime of almost two hours never bothered me. It was just a shame the story/plot was not as clever as the theme/message of this movie because you can predict everything that will happen. But I would still recommend this film; it is a pleasant stunning fun adventure for the entire family.

That’s all for this one! Did you see it? What did you think about it? Let me know!

Until next time,

Luke

I made myself clear on numerous occasions saying 2022 has been an outstanding year for films. But there was one specific genre that had a bit of mainstream “revival”, and it was the horror. With such films as Scream (2022, my review here), X (2022, my review here), Smile (2022) did well and now, Barbarian. And despite my hesitation towards Scream and the fact I still haven’t seen Smile, I know they were popular amongst the mainstream audience. That’s a point I must clarify before moving onwards with this review. The horror genre didn’t “die”, and these films didn’t bring it back per se. I know there are many, mostly B/C horror films made and released almost daily. But it’s been a while since we’ve had a year where mainstream horror films (and “mainstream” is the operative word in that sentence) were so accepted and seen by larger audiences, and most of them were original films, not part of any franchise (obviously besides Scream). As someone who likes the horror genre; I can only be pleased about that.

Out of all of these, Barbarian may just be the most unsettling one, as it’s not a franchise slasher or a flick set in the 1970s. It hits home because everything that happened in it could happen, and nothing felt that far-fetched. I am debating how much I want to reveal about anything, as this is one of those films that takes wild turns. You can say it’s almost three films in one that are tied together, and even that could be considered a bit of a spoiler.

I will try my hardest to be vague about everything. The film starts perfectly with one of the most terrifying sentences you can utter in the 2020s: “The Airbnb you booked is occupied already.” And of course, it’s raining, dark outside, you are a woman in a strange city and neighbourhood, and now you have to make a choice. Take a chance on the stranger, or try to get something else. I loved the first 45 minutes of this film, which was all about two strangers (Georgina Campbell and Bill Skarsgård) and their awkward dynamic. You may have some idea where this will go at this point, and trust me, no, you are wrong. Whatever you think, wherever you think this will go, you won’t see this coming; unless you have seen some spoilers. In any case, I would be delighted to watch just those two interact as their chemistry was perfect. And especially Georgina rules and carries this film.

Then something happens, and suddenly, we are following the owner of the Airbnb, Justin Long. We don’t know why yet we don’t even know he is the owner; we only understand that his character was “MeToo’d”, and now he is trying to convince everyone he didn’t do it and that he is a good person. You don’t even know what time this is happening, but everything becomes much clearer when he arrives at his house, the Airbnb. I liked this sequence but thought tonally; it was a different film, even though I understand why it had to be there, given what role his character played in the finale.

In the last part of this film, I won’t say who is there or who it is about. But yet again, this film changes drastically. And the more you understand that story, the more you will understand the entire movie. Then, the finale happens. And if there were one legitimate complaint I had about Barbarian, it would be this, as there are many “shaky hands” during this finale, it felt cheap. It’s hard talking about it without spoilers, but you will understand what I mean once you see it. I didn’t mind the character work; if anything, it confirmed whether Long’s character was good or bad; it just was a shame that such a unique, twisty horror (?) had to rely on those: “Oh no, my hands are shaking, everything is slipping out of them.” cliche. So this complaint isn’t about anything character related, more about their motoric skills (or the sudden lack thereof).

You may have noticed I put a question mark after “horror”, as that is genuinely what I thought about the most after this film was over. Barbarian, at least for me, was more of a thriller with some horror elements. But to call it a horror… All I am trying to say is if you go into it expecting a “proper” horror, you may be disappointed. Because the first 40/45 minutes are an excellent showcase of how to build on the unknown and how to showcase slowly; that something is wrong. Then we have some horror moments; after that, we have the Justin Long story, which is more plot-related drama. After that, we have the “secret portion” I won’t talk about, but again, not much “horror” stuff happens there (despite it setting up something disturbing). And finally, we have the finale, where when all cards are on the table, nothing much will surprise you or scare you. Don’t get me wrong, Barbarian is definitely worth seeing if you are up for something dark and twisty, but if you are a hardcore horror fan and expect “pure horror” from this film, you may be setting yourself up for a disappointment there.

I have briefly touched on this, but I need to talk about the first 40/45 minutes of this movie, and mainly Georgina’s performance. She nailed her performance and carried this film. From the awkward meeting and getting to know Bill’s character to the finale, where almost everything and everybody is against her, she shines, and you are rooting for her to succeed and survive. I hope we will see her in more films where she will be the lead, as she is capable enough to do it; she’s got the charisma, charm and talent to carry any movie.

Overall, Barbarian was a nice surprise in all aspects. From the many twists and turns the story takes to the lead actress, I enjoyed myself throughout most of this film. And had the middle section been cut down slightly and the ending didn’t feel as cliché as it has, my rating would have been higher. If you are looking for something that may leave you guessing throughout most of the film, Barbarian is a great choice. Just be aware it gets gory and, at times, pretty disturbing at other times, but the whole package is worth it.

That’s all for this one! Did you see it? What did you think about it? Let me know!

Until next time,

Luke

This is one of those films I’ve heard a lot about from the film people I follow, who mostly praised it as this unexpected horror gem. So when I noticed X landed on Amazon Prime, I knew I had to watch it. And it (mostly) delivered on what I hoped for. It’s just a shame that the longer the film was, the more predictable it became.

Let’s start from the beginning, the homage to the original The Texas Chainsaw Massacre (1974, my review here) couldn’t be more obvious, from the setting in Texas to the time period being the 70s too, and I applaud that. You can tell Ti West loves that film, and I think it shows, especially in the first 30 minutes. But this is where the resemblance ends, as X goes its own way and makes the “villain(s)” something more “down-to-earth” – old people. I loved the atmosphere of the first hour or so; when we are building towards something, we know something is wrong, but we must wait to see when and how the penny drops.

And once it dropped, it lost a bit of steam for me. Don’t get me wrong, there were scenes that were worth it, and X is an overall great horror film, but once you see what our protagonists are up against, it makes it less scary and more predictable. Everything from the jump scares to where the story goes, nothing will surprise you. But what this movie lacks in this department, it makes up for in the gore category. Almost all the deaths that happen in this film happen on-screen and are quite brutal. I liked that decision, not flinching, showing us all the gory details.

What made this movie so special was its cast, especially the three leading ladies. 2022 was a big year for Jenna Ortega, so of course, she is here, and she was great in her role of this quiet mouse, who might be a bit wilder than expected. Because of Jenna and the main star, many people seem to be “skipping over” Brittany Snow, but let’s not. I only know her from the Pitch Perfect trilogy, so she may have surprised me the most, as her role is unlike anything I would expect from her. She portrays this “valley girl”, not afraid of anything, and I thought she showed us that she could do much more than we give her credit for. But this film belongs to the one and only Mia Goth.

Not only she portrayed a double role (I don’t think it is a spoiler, but I won’t mention who) she nails both of those roles. There was something about her acting, about her demeanour I found fascinating, and she is the leading lady this film deserves. She carries this film, and from what I hear in the prequel/sequel, Pearl (2022), she is even better, and some people reckon she was robbed of an Oscar nomination. I haven’t seen Pearl yet, but the moment it is streaming somewhere, I will be all over it as her character intrigued me. I also think Mia is still criminally underrated, despite being a unique actress who makes unconventional choices. I wish she would have that kind of a year/moment Jenna Ortega currently has with Wednesday (2022, my review here) at some point soon because she deserves it. And I think whether you saw this movie, Suspiria (2018) or Nymphomaniac: Vol. II (2013), you know what I am talking about.

As I mentioned before, the only negative about X is the predictability of the second half, alongside the fact that the film blends into the “generic” territory. What started as this unique film about porn, youth, morals, and these fun characters quickly turns into a paint-by-numbers generic slasher. For example, X is one of those films that starts from the end, where we see the carnage, and then we go back in time to see how it happened. And I don’t think it worked in this instance. I would much rather start with this group on their journey; rather than see how some of them end by the end.

Overall, X is a fun addition to the horror genre that still proves we can get a great, unique, gory, and raw horror film that feels different from most of the mainstream stuff. I loved the leading cast; I can’t wait to see Pearl, and I would love for more people to see this film. If for nothing else, then to see how talented Mia Goth is and why her name should be included in the “most promising and yet underappreciated actress” category. Give her an outstanding role in a major film, and you have an Oscar winner on your hands.

That’s all for this one! Did you see it? What did you think about it? Let me know!

Until next time,

Luke