5d2a2m

[watched in 4k]

“oh, they said they were going skinny dipping and uh, i’m not skinny enough…”

happy birthday to my favorite slasher in horror, Jason Voorhees. it’s his actual birthday too (Friday, June 13th) so that’s really cool. Friday the 13th Part III is so much fun. one of my favorite movies. i had to watch this one today to celebrate the big guys birthday. 

Richard Brooker, rest in peace, also portrays Jason with such brute strength and spooky relentlessness, which set into motion how the character would be executed going forward more than people realize i think. we also get that iconic hockey mask here, further cementing how we’d come to know and recognize Jason. this movie also Does Not have continuity errors within the timeline and i will continue to defend that!!! 

fun fact: this was the only Friday the 13th movie of the Paramount era that was filmed in California instead of New Jersey, par of course from Jason Takes Manhattan which was filmed in Vancouver. 

Friday the 13th ranked:
boxd.it/900R2

“the leaves of a tree grow side by side, brother. yet when they fall, they fall alone.” 

this was a really interesting spinoff film for the Predator franchise. directed by Dan Trachtenberg who previously revitalized the series with Prey, he’s back again to bring something new to the table—and that much he certainly does here! Predator: Killer of Killers is an anthology story of sorts, focusing on not one but Three different narratives in a back-to-back beginning, middle and end fashion. all three stories were engaging and badass in their own ways, each tackling separate time periods too for extra aesthetic points. they connect at the end too, which i didn’t expect but enjoyed. 

despite some of these segments having seemingly short runtime, plenty is done with them. the animation style on display here looks fluid and smooth, which nicely compliments the visceral, quick action and gore. these sequences in which a Predator takes on an army of Vikings, Samurai or WW2 soldiers are really neat, and each take advantage of their time-periods well. the utilization of different weapons was especially cool. so many awesome kills! it’s hard for me to pick a favorite but i really dug ‘The Sword’ segment. gotta say though, all of them were well thought-out and executed. 

we don’t get one Predator here, we get three of them! all three get memorable and distinctive designs, badass in their own ways. again, my favorite Predator on display here was the one featured in ‘The Sword’ story. he was scary as shit! i didn’t love the design of other Predators but they were cool in combat and the size made sense given his challenger(s) in the one case, so it can be shrugged off. generally, i liked the variety in Predators here—not that i don’t love the OG, but it’s nice to see how different Predators function and kill, based on technology available to them. 

i know that Dan is making another live-action Predator film and i’m excited about that one, but i sure wouldn’t mind him doing something like this again. either with Predator, or perhaps with the Alien franchise? that’d be really neat. hell, even put them together if it makes cohesive sense; i just think it’d be really cool to come back to this style of storytelling. the world building that Trachtenberg is doing is really cool, and this particular franchise is pretty dry for creative concepts. so this was a nice breath of fresh air, like Prey was, and i certainly hope for more in the future. 

by the way, in case you weren’t aware… Jerry fucking Trainor is in this movie, let it be known. welcome to the Predator franchise, Spencer Shay. this is exactly the casting choice this series has been desperately seeking. glad they finally bit “The Bullet” (ha) and brought on some real talent… 

“you were birthed from an anus.”

2025 ranked:
boxd.it/DTa4k

patiently waiting for this to happen in real life.

“how come there’s dirt in the chilli?…” 

so why does the movie start like that?… and why is the title Howling VII: Mystery Woman(?) and not Howling VII: New Moon Rising? could they not decide? Mystery Woman is a terrible subtitle. yikes. we’re not off to a very good start. 

this one is interesting. i went into it expecting to be deathly bored, ready to destroy it with a low rating and harsh review. but i don’t think i can do that, because this movie isn’t terrible—it’s just really flat and unmemorable. the action is anticlimactic, the performances leave plenty to be desired (par from a few witty actors) and the narrative is more focussed on forcing this seven film series to make tangible sense together, than it is providing us with an entertaining or captivating werewolf story. i do take issue with that, but i wasn’t offended by anything done here. just bored really, entertained or slightly amused at parts, but mostly bored. it wasn’t brain-meltingly boring like The Original Nightmare was, but it’s not fast-paced and shockingly-engaging like The Marsupials—it’s just a dull middle man (or wolf?) i don’t know.

i’m genuinely curious how much of the films budget went to line dancing. jesus christ. so much line dancing. lots of honky-tonk that couldn’t have been cheap. the budget for beer and boots must’ve been outrageous, as well as ambitious. almost as ambitious as the attempt to intertwine the baffling narratives of these Howling sequels here in this one—mostly delivered through witty-but-blatant and desperate exposition. i have to give them some props for trying, regardless of their intentions or the results after the fact. it is done here quite lazily, but hey, at least they tried something? it doesn’t ultimately go anywhere either, nor does it connect the films together very closely, but it’s something. 

the entirety of the film isn’t edited very well either. fact of the matter is, the spotty editing job had me giggling throughout the whole movie—not good when you’re making a Horror film. but upbeat country music swelling in only to abruptly cut out seconds later through a transition is absolutely comical. i’m only human and it made me laugh every time i heard it. does that music remind anyone else of Lon Lon Ranch from Ocarina of Time? the quality of dialogue dubbing here is also quite bad which made me laugh too. it’s not the worst editing i’ve ever seen but it’s certainly amateur, much like everything else in this movie. this almost brought something wholesome or sweet to the table. 

so we’ve got another Howling movie, but this time, rather than telling its own interesting story, or even trying to bring something new to the table, would instead approach this with a half-assed attempt at tying together six films that were never created with any intention of being connected to one-another. nice. what a solid reason to make a movie. i’d watch this one over IV, but the difference between them is far from vast. Howling VII: New Moon Rising isn’t a terrible movie. but it is terribly pointless. 

and at the end of the day, isn’t that worse?… 

“well, we’ve hung it on everything else, might as well have some divine intervention…”

The Howling ranked:
boxd.it/GwwxO

you guys should recommend me a movie that you’d very much like me to see/would like to hear my personal thoughts on. 

life is real not groovy and i have been quite unhappy, so it’d be nice to watch some new things that just may raise my chin up a bit. horror is my specialty but at this point, just send anything. i don’t even care.

i’m just trying to focus on movies again and this is the best means of doing so, for my indecisiveness has gotten the best of me as of late. i think it is, anyway. worth a shot(?) 

send me some good recommendations. your favorite movie, or something mucho memorable. something you’d really like to hear my thoughts on 👌🏻

here’s the list i made:
boxd.it/HMOjQ

“them’s the breaks, Nishi…” 

how does one even explain Mind Game? it should’ve been called Mind Fuck more than anything else.

“rumpus time is over.” 

this movie was insane and it’s clear now that i like Will Ferrell comedies more than i used to. we’re 3/3 here with my having enjoyed Blades of Glory and Anchorman: The Legend of Ron Burgundy (same director here, for the latter) as well. this was a really fun time. the ing cast ensured me liking this one most of the three. movies that make my jaw drop get a 4/5 or higher by the way… 

John C. Reilly, who i always love, and Will Ferrell, have amazing chemistry here and the plot is surprisingly wholesome. funny enough i expected their roles to be swapped, but their dynamic worked really well still. i was actively engaged with Step Brothers and thought it was very entertaining overall. might just be one of my new favorite modern comedies.

“we put liquid paper on a bee, and it died...”

[watched in 4k]

truly just the best movie ever made. it’s amazing really how glued to this film i am while watching it; even despite the fact that i have seen An American Werewolf in London well over one hundred times… 

it’s also always better to watch this with company so watching it with my oldest (and favorite) brother for the first time ever (shockingly) was really nice and my soul needed it. good shit.

[watched in 4k] 

(sexy) scary vampire ahhhhhh!!!

2024 ranked:
boxd.it/tF5Bg

i can’t believe Christopher Nolan (Charles Martin Smith) directed this. i think it has just gotta be his best work yet.

this would be rated higher if Josh didn’t try to abandon the cute dog on a fucking island…

“you’re cold as ice.”

alas i have finished The Hangover trilogy, as i had never seen them and my older brother basically implored me to give this set of comedies a try. 

this third entry, while as funny as the previous two at selective points, felt like a somewhat underwhelming and anticlimactic finish/cap off of the story and its colourful characters. there were some fun throwbacks that i appreciated and i loved the focus on Leslie Chow, who had most of the memorable lines in the film, but overall this finale didn’t do nearly as much as i expected, or thought it was capable of. 

at the end of the day though The Hangover Part III was a wholesome, somewhat bittersweet conclusion to a solid comedy trilogy. well directed too, generally speaking. the first is the best, with the second being pretty good as well, leaving this final flick to be a decently wrapped bow to tie it all up. 

i was not ready for what they did to (Black) Doug here…

crazy shit, Sully…

[watched in 4k]

“Yahtzee.” 

i didn’t know much of anything about Drop before i watched it, least of all what it was about. the film was pretty straightforward and entertaining overall. it wasn’t anything i’ve not seen done before, but the editing was flashy and i enjoyed some of the more fluent cinematography choices. Meghann Fahy does a good job in the leading role and i found her performance compelling. Brandon Sklenar plays a guy who is laughably understanding and charming, but that works for the limited concept. their chemistry was fine overall. 

the stakes of the narrative were small-scale for me, as i knew in my heart of hearts where the plot was going/would end up, leading me to not be as engaged as i could’ve been, but it was still a solid thriller. it was straightforward enough that i wasn’t really bored and i felt it was paced well enough given that as well. overall i enjoyed it but it’s not something i’m likely to watch again.

2025 ranked:
boxd.it/DTa4k

“James Franco didn't suck any dick last night? now i know ya'll are trippin'...”

one of my favorite comedies ever. the cast is hilarious and they have a great connected sense of humour that works wonders for this apocalypse lockdown scenario. lots of tomfoolery and heart! 

Jonah Hill is so fucking iconic. everyone here is, really… this was a fun movie to show my brother who hadn’t seen it.

get Robert Powell on the mic more often please; he cooks!  

solid documentary on World War II. i knew more about these events in history thanks to public school and my memories of those teachings, but it has still been nice to ‘catch myself up’ on our history as a species—especially in reference to modern society and how haunting that is… 

i don’t generally follow the reviewing criteria for documentaries like this that i do feature films, but since this particular film/series engaged me from start to finish, had plenty of impressive content to offer and taught me plenty that i didn’t know/couldn’t after all these years, it is worth a solid 4.5/5 in my book…

plus, it’s just nice to log something again. i’ve been quite busy with work so i’ve not had the time i have in the past to grind movie watching as much as i’d like to, but nevertheless i’m still here and i will be logging more post haste 😎stay beautiful, readers!

Dr. Victor Frankenstein himself narrating the events of the first World War, for me to fall sound asleep to? brings me right back to public school. 

thanks Kenneth! your voice is soothing… 

in all seriousness; i love me a lengthy watch and this is a great retrospective and in-depth documentary based on World War I that efficiently tells the compacted story of that real life tragedy, and how it unfolded beginning to end. i catching this one in school through the years. it was an entertaining and informative rewatch, for i’ve had an itch to learn more about these pinnacle World Wars.

🎶don’t forget to … Scooby-Doo!🎶

Shaggy needs dope money so he forces Scooby to broaden his acting horizons and compromise his morals—it is like Scooby-Doo meets Boogie Nights. surreal. especially surreal thanks to a faint laugh track… 

this cowardly, clumsy dog has been fighting the idea of typecasting since the 70s, poor thing… he’s just a rooby, dooby guy. with many a variety in flashback backstories. 

Scooby Goes Hollywood is a fun fourth-wall break of sorts, and offers some cheeky satire on the whole television business. the commentary is still relevant today! using such silly characters as Scooby-Doo and Shaggy as conduits for this sort of comedy is especially funny to me, utilizing the rest of the gang more than later Scooby/Shaggy-oriented adventures do as well, which was cool. it’s equally hilarious to me how horned up and enthusiastic seemingly every woman in this universe is in reaction/response to Scooby-Doo the dog 😂😭Schlock-Mutt has the ultimate rizz. bless 70s/80s-era Scooby content for its janky randomness and charm. this was a fun first-time watch. an innocent side-story in the Scooby-mythos.

this was a fun Scoooby-Doooby-Muuusical!

thank you for 1800+ followers, holy shit! 

every one of you is a beauty and a gem. i wholly appreciate the , the engagement and the fun you all provide through my reviews. it means the world (and more) to me and makes living on this planet much more enjoyable. meaningful too. you’re all family to me. thank you also for the wonderful ‘happy birthday’ comments. that made my day. you’re all the best ever!!!

…even if i disagree with how many of you dislike or hate Leprechaun in the Hood (2000), as Freddie Mercury said in his final recorded music video, 

“…i still love you.” 

cheers to 1800+ followers and almost five years now of sharing my thoughts here on Letterboxd. keep on keeping on, keep your chins up, and go watch a fun horror movie ❤️🤘🏻

“this is business, and there’s nothing that i wouldn’t do for business…”

solid documentary on WWE and the “man behind it all” in Vince McMahon. not entirely well structured… actually, sort of all over the place, but it was quite informative nevertheless and technically entertaining, generally speaking. as a wrestling fan i was actively engaged with the history and disgusted with Vince McMahon as a person. 

2024 ranked:
boxd.it/tF5Bg

[watched in 4k]

“the wolf's bloodline must be severed. the last remaining werewolf must be destroyed. it's you, David…”

happy birthday to me 🤘🏻celebrating the only way i know how; by watching my favorite movie of all time. here’s to 25 years on the planet and 18 or so of those spent loving the fuck out of An American Werewolf in London 😙

“with my luck you’ll turn out to be just another delusion…” 

happy 36th anniversary to Friday the 13th Part VII: The New Blood, or as i often regard it as; my first favorite Friday the 13th film ever. regardless of the editing issues (thanks MPAA) this movie has a big place in my heart and i’ll always see it as John Carl Buechler (rest in peace) intended—not how Paramount edited and released it. 

as well, rest in peace to the ever-beautiful Lar Park Lincoln, who we lost much too soon just recently. i am watching this equally in her memory, dedicated to her and the badassery of Tina as a final girl and Scream Queen. 

Jason with a motorized saw, in the middle of the woods, chasing a fraudulent psychiatrist… that’s just the funniest shit in the world to me. 

maybe my brain is broken 🤷🏻‍♂️

fun fact: Walter J. Gorney, Crazy Ralph himself, returns to the series one final time to provide his voice for narration in the opening sequence. 

Friday the 13th ranked: 
boxd.it/900R2

[watched in 4k]

“i've gone where the universe takes me my whole life. it's better to make those decisions for yourself...”

what was i thinking rating this 4.5 before? it’s Vince Gilligan. a continuation to/piece of Breaking Bad and that universe. obviously it gets a fuckin’ 5/5. it’s wonderful. it makes me emotional every time i watch it and i’d do just about anything to talk to Aaron Paul about this movie and Jesse as a character. i’ve also now seen Better Call Saul to length so this experience was that much richer for me. 

apparently they shot an extra hours worth (or so) of footage for this. i pray day in and day out that someday we will get to see that extra footage, but for now this two hour masterpiece will suffice. it marks a great and fitting end to Jesse Pinkman’s character arc, justifiably so, as we experienced Walt and Saul’s arcs ending too. i appreciate the small scale focus of this story too, with it being especially intimate honing solely on Jesse and his plot to escape Albuquerque once and for all. this could’ve been grand and epic, but it didn’t need to be. Jesse’s character doesn’t justify that scale as much as other, more “powerful” characters in this universe do. instead it feels very personal and faithful. 

i also watched this again tonight, with my friend Matt via Discord, to conclude our Breaking Bad watch. he hadn’t seen the series before and we just finished watching it together, season by season. i thought this would be a fitting end to that little marathon we’ve been going through. he fuckin’ loved the show and this movie—no surprise there!

“vaya con dios, amigo.” 

“what you have to realize is that we’re all just a mouse that a cat has by the tail.” 

the first Final Destination movie i watched was the fourth one in 2009 when it was brand new, only seeing the fifth film after that and bits of these first three over the years. now that the franchise is back it’s time for me to properly go through these first five films. 

Devon Sawa and Chad Donella were the highlights, casting wise. i liked Ali Larter too. everyone though, their performances were inconsistent in that some lines were delivered just fine and others were laughably read. because of that i could never take the dramatic aspect serious and found myself giggling whenever Death gets kooky. not a very unnerving or exciting experience as much as it is a bit amusing, in my honest opinion. i also think that Death having a “physical presence” and shadow is ridiculous and just a bit too silly for what this is going for—at least for me. subtlety is key with a concept like this. 

this is a solid 3/5 movie, technically speaking. i don’t have much else to say about it. because of that, it’s a 2.5… i do, however, love the music by Shirley Walker! that main theme particularly is badass. Final Destination is a fun(ny) 2000s horror that reeks of 90s cheese. the death sequences are inventive and downright hilarious though, and i’m excited to watch the rest, but this first entry doesn’t sit with me as being very memorable. this formula (from my memory) would be honed better in later entries. we’ll see!

moral of the story? do not listen to John Denver.

“y’know, because of you i’ve gotta sit here and watch fucking Stuart Little… thank you. thanks man… it’s great…” 

“open your eyes, Mothra. your people are in need of you. we need you to awaken for us now.” 

happy 64th anniversary to the Queen of Kaiju, and her first solo film, in Mosura/Mothra. fusing a quirky sense of humour with truly hypnotizing, vibrant and colourful surrealism, this titular film stands strong on its own, much like Gojira did in 1954; fitting because Ishiro Hondâ directed that movie too. that film is very tonally different to this one, however… 

Mothra just goes to show that solo kaiju endeavours can work as well as, or sometimes even better than, kaiju battle-royale movies—even if the latter is more action-packed or thrilling than the former. Mothra has its share of slower moments but the charm throughout kept me engaged, long before the beauty even appears onscreen. the human characters were entertaining to follow—particularly Frankie Sakai as Fukada and Yumi & Emi Itô as the two majestic Twin Fairy ladies. hilariously, the antagonists in this are greedy dickhead humans; kinda the norm when it comes to Mothra stories. the tribal elements and scale of the story were great as well; which are another common element. it gave the film a more spiritual vibe that non-Mothra featuring films don’t have, which i enjoyed. it seemed fitting too. tiny pixie lady goddesses; that’s a silly concept and i love it. i enjoyed the set pieces present—specifically the dam and the foresty cliff sides. memorable spectacle. 

i should talk about the actual monsters. oops! Mothra is great of course when she appears and the effects hold up quite well here. she has a wicked entrance with grand scale and great music by Yūji Koseki. the score is perfectly atmospheric, emotional and whimsical, as the subject matter demands. vocal performances by The Peanuts are much-welcome and superb as always! actually so fucking good. “Song of Mothra” stood out to me. i guess(?) Akira Ifukube was initially tasked with doing the score here, but didn’t feel confident enough. shame! at least his work managed to mend beautifully with Koseki’s in Mothra vs Godzilla. the technical quality here is superb for 60s kaiju cinema i must say. we’ve got stop motion, miniatures, blue screen, suits… the whole nine yards. it all looks great too, because it’s not Perfect or Seamless—it just works for what This Is. if that makes sense… anyhow, no complaints from me in the technical department. 

i wish that i’d have gotten to this flick sooner. goddamn my procrastinating ways! i love Mothra and her presence is always welcome to me in the Godzilla franchise. happily though i can say that Ishiro Hondâ did a great job with her solo film, showing that the spotlight can shine just as bright and easy on other kaiju par from the main man Goji. this is legendary Japanese cinema… 

“jeez, i must be slipping!” 

[watched in 4k]

“you're an American Original…”

happy 45th birthday/anniversary to the initial film that created my favorite horror franchise ever in Friday the 13th. this flick, while not doing the formula best, most definitely helped set the standard for what 1980s slasher films would aim for and above. 

it’s all thanks to Steve Christy… 

Friday the 13th ranked:
boxd.it/900R2

this wasn’t paced very well and it didn’t tell me much that i didn’t already know to be honest, but hearing Manson call himself a “poop butt” yet again did deem this worth a watch.

it’s edited in a more flashy manner to engage the audience but it takes more than a bit (even with a short runtime) to get to the crux of the documentary. the editing was fine but again, nothing i haven’t seen before. this is a fine Charles Manson documentary for a casual viewer but there are certainly more informative and engaging ones out there.

2025 ranked:
boxd.it/DTa4k

“i was herding sheep above the water mill. gazing into the river. and i wanted to dive into it. to drown in it…” 

Leptirica (The She-Butterfly) is a cozy and warm short story in an otherwise chilly and bitter sub-genre. this wasn’t as sp00ky or memorable as i was expecting, which is a shame, but it also certainly wasn’t a waste of my time and i can’t honestly say i’ve ever seen a vampire film “like” this one. take that as you will…

Leptirica is a unique and bittersweet vampire tale, based in Serbia, respectfully so as far as i can tell. the narrative is straightforward. it involves a vampire entity stalking a small village, particularly the wheat mill/mill workers, all while a hard workin’ lad named Strahinja is trying to marry his best gal Radojka, and earn her fathers blessing. there are comedic elements, which are sort of Three Stooges-esque(?) and those were surprising, but welcome. it gave the story a more whimsical feel, which i found mostly engaging overall. given the short runtime and limited budget, the narrative is extremely tight; maybe too tight to justify this runtime… when we aren’t focusing on vampires or love, we’re just hanging out with the townsmen—a pretty quirky group of fellers that inject the comedic tone i mentioned earlier. 

technically speaking i don’t have a whole lot to say. the film looks nice generally, and there are a few beautiful camera angles/ frames that were painting-esque. it had a soft look to it, somewhat warm, which was unique amidst the sub-genre this belongs to. sound wise there is a lot of ambient noise, birds chirping and the like. other than chirpy birds and bugs, there is a bit of score mixing sprinkled here and there, though i’m not sure who to credit. i enjoyed that though. there were some simple and casual moments that seemingly had extra reverb or something, which gave the film sort of a dreamy feeling at times. i’m not sure if that was intentional or a sound-mixing mistake, but it works to the films benefit. i should mention too the shrieks present in the sp00ky scenes, which were genuinely unnerving. 

i liked this! the horror elements are really interesting and i particularly enjoy the more “folky” or small-scale approach on the vampire lore, based on its execution. i do wish more of the runtime focussed on that threat more than it does the villager hijinks, but it wasn’t too obnoxiously paced overall; just a bit slower than i would’ve liked. i found myself a bit bored at times as a result, though the quality of the film throughout had me at least intrigued. worth a watch if you’re looking for something different in a vampire story.

extra 0.5 for that crazy fucking ending…

[watched in 4k]

“it’s a nightmare… a fuckin’ nightmare!”

just as effective upon rewatch. fuck spiders. it was funny watching my older brother wince and jump around throughout this.

2024 ranked:
boxd.it/tF5Bg

“what is going on? what is happening? it’s your fault…”

i didn’t know what to expect going into Ash and i had heard both good and bad things, but i myself liked it quite a bit. stylistically of course it’s a certified win, because the film looks and sounds gorgeous—very colourful, vibrant, flashy and synthy, with some good distorted elements to amplify the horror. the rest of it though? it’s definitely a ‘love it or hate it’ kinda vibe, and i’m closer to the ‘love it’ side overall. it’s kinda like Mandy, but in space… if that’s your thing. 

there isn’t a lot to this narrative and it’s essentially a “space version” of something like The Thing, but hey, “if it ain’t broke don’t fix it” right? it worked in 1982 over in Antarctica and it works here in present day, up there in the more ashy quadrants of space. the pacing and structure of the story are hit/miss for most but i enjoyed the disted order of events. it further emphasized the sense of disorientation and panic that these characters must be experiencing themselves. the pacing was mostly seamless, but felt a tad slow in the first act. not slow enough to bore me, but i noticed the pacing pick up significantly after the 20min (or so) mark. 

Eiza González is a strong lead as Riya and i was compelled following through her madness and picking up the pieces of this parasitic mystery as she does. she has a great ing lead in Aaron Paul, who is always great—i am biased because i love him to death. the ing cast is also solid. Beulah Koale and Iko Uwais were standouts. funny to see Flying Lotus acting here too; they were fine. i liked Kate Elliot too and was rooting for Clarke until she got all spooky. 

fantastically creative and justifiably-flashy gore/practical effects sequences are present throughout which are a great asset in science-fiction horror; especially when we’ve already got films like Alien. though Ash stands on its own, borrowing some Italian horror visual elements and mixing them with a more modern, abstract and fantastical feeling storyline and overall vibe. important to note that there is a decent amount of digital effects sprinkled throughout this modern horror, but that element didn’t bother me or take anything away from the experience. it looked solid and was not overly-used if you ask me. the horror is generally effective and quite chilling at times really. the score by Flying Lotus (director too) was wonderful and it really fit the nature and atmosphere of the film, further adding to the eeriness.

i’m glad i checked this one out. i expected to like it more than the majority, and i do—nothing wrong with that. if you’re okay with more of a mind-melter, a film that isn’t so focussed on straightforward narrative as it is delivering a compelling visual/auditory experience, Ash is a solid modern horror you are sure to get something out of and i recommend it.

fuck it. style over substance or not. still 4. 

“fuck your existence.”

2025 ranked:
boxd.it/DTa4k

“first the monkey, now the hat. how much worse can my day get?” 

The Hangover Part II is a really crazy joyride that somehow managed to shock me more than the first one, which i didn’t think possible. especially because it’s essentially a soft core remake of that first movie…

i do think however that the first two movies are almost equal in quality; the first one was a little funnier and it was paced better(?) too, hence the point difference. both great modern comedies i’ll be watching time and time again, and i’m excited to check out The Hangover Part III. 

great end credits yet again! they’re so authentically fucked. 

“i wish monkeys could Skype… maybe one day.” 

give me an anime that looks just like this and we’re golden.

i’ve been replaying the Sonic franchise through Sonic Origins lately and goddamn am i bad at the Sonic games in my adulthood. so frustrating! i used to speed run the first three games back-to-back in middle school and now i can barely finish levels. i don’t play many video games anymore and it’s clear that my skills have depleted through their absence. 

*Sonic 1 game over music*

“have an omelette.”

Howling VI: The Freaks is basically the Goosebumps episode-equivalent of a Howling sequel and i am surprisingly okay with that. you could cut this down and it’d be one freaky hour long Goosebumps episode. am i wrong here?… and Van Helsing (2004) clearly ripped off the third act from this too, right? 

despite the low budget, the premise for The Freaks is shockingly interesting for a sixth entry of a low-tier horror franchise. the utilization of the werewolf character here is quite clever and the backdrop of circus freaks was entertaining too. the practical makeup looks solid and a few Freaks in particular stood out to me as a result—Toones, Carl/Carlotta and Winston. all three of which were funny characters with interesting looks. the werewolf transformation effects were good and the crunchy sound design was cheap-but-welcome. this wolf was more Goosebumps-esque too in its form, which further had me dwelling on those 90s television vibes this gives off. 

my two main gripes with this sequel would have to be the design of the werewolf and the pacing of the film in the first half. it takes quite a bit to get going into the wolf action, and when we do get there, i was a bit disappointed. there’s not much action. and this is less of a beast werewolf, in the vain of the previous films, and instead leans more towards what the titular character in WolfCop looked like—not a change that i was expecting or that i loved much here. the second half of the film is a more evenly paced out, but it takes more time to establish that than necessary, in my opinion.

generally speaking though i was surprised by this entry. i have an eerie feeling that it’s going to be the last film in the franchise that i enjoy, for i’ve heard nothing but bad things about what follows The Freaks. if this flick had some extra production budget, a werewolf re-design and some tighter pacing this would be the most solid sequel i think. but as is, it’s just a little less entertaining than The Rebirth. 

wish me luck for the rest of the Howling series. i’ll get there eventually, once i can stomach the frustration and disappointment i am guaranteed to experience. at least i’ll always have The Marsupials. 

extra points for the kitty being spared and a dopeass looking Vampire 😎

“ya’ think Mr. Harker will let me keep this cat?…”

The Howling ranked:
boxd.it/GwwxO

“you’re so impatient, such a naughty boy…” 

Locked has a very simple premise and execution, with surprising wit and concrete tension. i really, really liked this one and i knew i’d get something out of it when i watched the trailer many months ago. i was actively engaged and surprised how much i loved this. now to finally check out Brightburn i guess! 

Anthony Hopkins steals the show and Bill Skarsgård is superb as usual. the two of them have a great dynamic and i enjoyed their back-and-forth more than enough to be amused throughout. the movie kicks into high octane by the end of the second act and shit gets especially crazy, which i dearly enjoyed. there are a few pretty gory moments too and i didn’t expect that—a nice subversion of expectations all around. there are even some tender emotional moments, which was a sufficient way to balance it out tonally. it gave the audience great reason to care about what’s happening to Eddie and go along for the ride. 

i must it with utmost honesty; Eddie yearning for McDonalds is the most relatable thing to me that i’ve seen in a movie in a very long time. i feel no shame in itting that. i’m a whore for junior chickens.

also; bonus points for the practical gore effects that made me actively wince in discomfort. ouch. gnarly nail stuff… 

“whoops-a-daisy!” 

2025 ranked:
boxd.it/DTa4k

“bad news Crews…”

i am taken aback and absolutely heartbroken at the news of Lar Park Lincoln’s sudden ing, so i watched The New Blood today in her memory. it’s been awhile since i revisited this entry, and right before the anniversary too.

rest in peace Lar ❤️

(behold, the final chapter in the ‘cat randomly jumps at character’ saga that was started in Part 2 and continued in A New Beginning, to be concluded here) 

Friday the 13th ranked:
boxd.it/900R2

[watched in 4k] 

“Ellen, tell me… what is this insufferable darkness?…”

2024 ranked:
boxd.it/tF5Bg