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I want my time back
Best historical (period set) series
Best historical (period set) movies
Best Historical Horror
5-6 Star Horror
No particular order
Reviews
Our Blooming Youth (2023)
I need a spin-off
Incredible drama. I've found myself wanting a new and current drama, but they never seem to hit the same as the old ones. This one was the perfect combination of what's good about the new ones, but with the throwback quality of a classic. Absolutely loved it! Loved the lead actors, loved the entire cast of characters, loved their performances. I would be ecstatic for a spin-off because I love the mystery concept and characters so much!
To reiterate for needed review length, great concept that was well delivered, great cast of characters, the story had me hooked because I actually cared about what happened to them.
Love to Hate You (2023)
Messy and all over the place
There are WAY too many ideas crammed into this plot (if you can call it that, because it's so hard to follow).
We have lawyers, celebrities, vigilante justice, the eternal and repetitive battle of the sexes etc. It was like three dramas ham-handedly smushed together.
On top of that it felt like there were 500 characters, every two seconds there was someone else added. I didn't know who they were, and I never knew WHERE we were either.
The amazing main cast is wasted on this jumbled, thrown together drama, and surprisingly (unlike other reviewers) I didn't sense any chemistry between any of the characters.
Scream VI (2023)
Lazy storytelling
I'm a HUGE fan of the OG Scream movies. They were self aware and they poked fun at the tropes that are so prevalent in horror movies. I actually liked the first reboot movie, but THIS movie was all kinds of meh.
Firstly, say what you want about the original Scream movies, but you could never tell who Ghost Face was going to be, until the very end. Great story crafting! In THIS movie you could tell immediately who the killer was.
In an inorganically core diverse cast, that looks like they stepped off the cover of a college brochure, it was an easy spot that the white characters were the bad guys. Boom. Solved in two seconds.
Give me some better storytelling, and try not to fall into the tropes of which the original Scream movies made fun.
The Resort (2022)
Such an amazing show
Give me more! I haven't seen such an original concept in literally forever. I couldn't stop thinking about it between episodes. Recommend!
I loved the flashback aspect, the beautiful symbolism, the acting was top knotch. The onset chemistry between the cast was palpable from the seat on the sofa.
The gigantic task of blending comedy with the heavy is pulled off SO skillfully it made my brain happy. Give me all the dopamine.
I genuinely hope there is a second season because I feel like the potential is off the charts.
If you like an adventure, seasoned with delightful dark comedy, than definitely give it a try.
Watching the Detectives (2007)
Manic pixie dream girls are terrible people
Watching this in 2022 because of a tik tok recommendation.
The movie was going along decently well until about 50 minutes in when Lucy Liu's character literally did THE crappiest thing. Topping off all the other crappy things she had done, and causing me to stop the movie immediately.
The 2000s "manic pixie dream girls" are wildly unlikable, they're legitimately terrible people.
The Banishing (2020)
The low rating misrepresents a quality movie
This movie has:
-Very strong storyline
-Strong dialogue
-Strong Acting
-Actual vintage wardrobe
Anyone calling The Banishing "a snooze fest" must have wanted or expected a slasher, or tons of jumpscares etc. Because this movie was very intriguing!
If you like historical horror and spooky house centric plots, then definitely watch it. I don't understand the low rating, we almost didn't watch it because of it.
Windfall (2022)
Dull. Pass this one and save an hour and a half
Was drawn in by the great cast, but ended up fast forwarding. The dialogue was bare bones and full of lazy clichés. None of the characters had a drop of likability or relatability. The twist at the end didn't even make sense.
I liked the score, and there were some nice shots, but ultimately this story is only strong enough for a half hour AT BEST.
The Lodge (2019)
The trailer was better than the movie
This movie had all the ingredients to make a good story but fell very short of using them correctly. I'm okay with a dark plot and I'm okay with a dark ending but there needs to be SOME payoff. It just wasn't there.
Dune: Part One (2021)
Top notch production
I went into this knowing next to nothing about the story and not many expectations at all. The production sucked me right in. The exceedingly aesthetic wardrobe, the incredible quality of the CGI, the completely immerdive set design, beautiful filming locations, and last but not least, Hans Zimmer's beautifully crafted scoring. The array of actors were excellent, some I've seen, some refreshing new faces; thankfully no Tom Cruises or Will Smiths to disturb the immersion!
Memento (2000)
Doesn't stand the test of time
So many people raved about this movie, some even went as far as to say it was their favorite. IMO This movie was barely twisty; the pay off just wasn't there.
By 2021 I have seen mindblowing plot twists, and much more intriguing plots that had me at the edge of my seat. I was no where near the edge of my seat during this movie.
Quite frankly, it dragged on and on.
In 2000 this movie blew people's minds, apparently. However its repetitive scenes, going backwards (something unique back then) appear to me now, as a way to stretch out an actually VERY simple plot.
Red Lights (2012)
Very underwhelmed
This movie entices you in with a GREAT cast but completely fails to deliver. Aforementioned cast was terribly underutilized, and the plot had so many weak points. The story had potential but it needed so much more to make the twist really hit.
Triangle (2009)
I DON'T UNDERSTAND THE HIGH RATINGS
This movie is a waste of time, with a completely pointless plot. I am **baffled** by the high ratings. Baffled.
Dark Water (2005)
The atmosphere, the depth
I didn't watch it when it first came out and I've never seen the original Japanese film. This movie is beautifully done, I recommend it if you're in the mood for a melancholic, immersive story.
Insidious: The Last Key (2018)
Loved the backstory, loved the atmosphere
Elise is amazing and I love that we got a whole movie dedicated to her story. Very enjoyable, very twisty, it doesn't deserve the hate I'm seeing in other reviews.
Sinister 2 (2015)
I think this was a great sequel
It appears their were a few different schools of thought for what was expected from this sequel 5+years ago. I watched both movies more recently, long after the initial hype, and I think this sequel is a great extension of the first.
Save Yourselves! (2020)
A decent B movie
As far as low budget films go, this one was good. I was worried because it started out a little slow but it reached a good pace a quarter of the way in. I actually liked the ending, but it left us with a lot of questions. Worth the watch for me, but maybe not for everyone.
Body at Brighton Rock (2019)
Skip it
The well designed posters/thumbnails for the movie carefully disguise that this movie is the very definition of a B movie. I've seen many a Twilight Zone episode with a better story and actors.
Demonic (2015)
It didn't work
The concept of trying to combine a cop drama with a haunted, shall we say *demonic* house, didn't work. The two alternating timelines came off as a way to add filler, and stretch out a story that didn't have enough on it's own. Bonus: the acting and dialogue was SUPER weak. I watched because of Dustin Milligan, and James Wan's name being nebulously associated with the production, but I should've passed this one when I realized it was not what was advertised.