Final Destination

It occurred to me that, since I am going through the vast list of horror films/series I missed over the past several years, that I have neglected to watch any of the "Final Destination" films. So, away we go with this long running horror series. This first film does have an interesting premise, and I liked the variety of ways death found to continue to chase these survivors. Unfortunately, the acting was really weak, and the dialogue felt stale and forced. The direction was very cookie-cutter and formulaic, but I still found myself interested in the story and wanted to see how it would end. This wasn't a monumental start to a series that has garnered a lot of praise over the years, so I'll be interested to see how it develops. 3/5

Final Destination on Netflix

The Haunting in Connecticut

This isn't a particularly compelling supernatural thriller, although it is decently acted. The direction and effects were pretty good, although the story seemed stale and very by-the-numbers. Supposedly this is based on a novelization of a true story, so I guess I have to forgive the plot clunkiness a bit, but this was really only average for me. 3/5

The Haunting in Connecticut on Netflix

Legacy

When a movie is, essentially, one man in a room, descending into madness more and more as time passes, it takes one hell of a performance for that to truly seem real and believable. Idris Elba delivers a true tour def force performance in this psychological thriller, the caliber of which defies any adjectives I can think of. It may well be one of the best acting jobs I've ever seen in my life.It's brilliant and dark and cerebral and nuanced, and I believe I will be thinking of this film for a very long time. While the plot and direction may be clumsy in places, Elba is so good that nothing else matters. Please watch this, it's so worth ninety minutes of your time. 5/5

Legacy on Netflix

Advantageous

This sci-fi drama is so provocative and engaging. The moral and ethical questions it asks are profound and have no easy answers. The sad thing is I can see this future emerging even today, and I don't think we're in the least prepared to face it. Jennifer Phang co-wrote and directed this with a masterful touch. The direction was beautiful, and I loved that she didn't feel the need to hold my hand and guide me through the plot. I really enjoyed this and highly recommend it. 4/5

Advantageous on Netflix

Chain Letter

This is just torture porn, and bad torture porn at that. The plot is ridiculous, and the murders gratuitous. And where were all these kids parents at any point in the film? The only parts of the movie worth a damn were the very first and last scenes. Ugh. 1.5/5

Chain Letter on Netflix

The Monster

What makes this creature feature so outstanding is the acting from the two leads, Zoe Kazan and  Ella Ballentine. Both gave such superlative performances that I completely believed them and thus was brought wholly into this tense and claustrophobic world. The direction was tight and edgy and the script, peppered with flashbacks to draw out the mother-daughter relationship, was excellent. Highly recommended. 4/5

The Monster on Netflix

I Origins

This sci-fi film is really engaging. The premise unfolded slowly, allowing the viewer to become invested in the world before upending it. The direction was very solid and well paced. I have to say that I was less impressed by the acting of Pitt and Marling, which really surprised me given that I am a fan of both of their work. Their acting felt flat to me, and I think that's why I ended up connecting with the story but not the people in it. Still, a solid film with a great premise. 3.5/5

I Origins on Netflix

Boy A

This is a truly profound and powerful drama because it forces the viewer to try to reconcile the timid and peaceful young man we meet in the film with the horrific actions he committed in the past. It works so brilliantly, in part due to a compelling script, but mostly because Andrew Garfield gives a tour de force performance in the lead role. Garfield is so spot on with every little nuance of his delivery that it was hard at times to remember he was an actor and that I wasn't watching a documentary. It's a powerful film with a perfect ending. One of the best I've seen lately. 5/5

Boy A on Netflix

Damsels in Distress

I'm sorry, but this really didn't work for me at all. The whole thing felt like a badly adapted Jane Austen novel, which is strange because the director recently released a very good Austen adaptation in "Love and Friendship". Everything felt wooden and dead, and while I know that deadpan style was the point, it didn't connect for me. I didn't get the point of the story - what was this a commentary on? Satire needs a point, and I didn't get one in this film. Not for me. 2/5

Damsels in Distress on Netflix

31

So I have very mixed opinions about this film, the newest horror flick written and directed by Rob Zombie. On the bad side, the script is really pretty shit. It's weak with no real sense to it, and I've seen similar stories done much better. But, the direction is SO SO SO GOOD. It's breathtakingly good, and just spot on what good horror should look and feel like. It's so good that I stopped caring about the story altogether and just became immersed it in. On the bad side, the acting is also real shit. There's nothing good about most anyone in the film... except for Richard Brake as Doom-Head. This guy is so good, so compelling, so utterly mesmerizing that I forgive all the other acting in the film because the short time he's on screen is so damn good nothing else mattered. In the end, the direction and Brake pushed this film from a 3 to a 3.5, and if you're into weird horror I would recommend it. 3.5/5

31 on Netflix

Free Fall

This German LGBTQ drama is really spectacular. The plot is nuanced and very deftly written where no easy answers can be found. The acting is top notch with outstanding performances by all the leads. I really like the ending - it was appropriate for the story and really made me think. I highly recommend this. 4/5

Free Fall on Netflix

Closet Monster

This is a fairly solid coming of age drama with a few glaring flaws. The direction is very good, with layers of visual metaphors that repeat and enhance the subtext of the film. The lead actors are all quite good, especially Connor Jessup in the lead role of Oscar. My problem is with some of the character development. When we meet Oscar's father when Oscar is a young boy, he is a loving and kind man who treats his son wonderfully and with respect. Quick cut, and now Oscar is a teenager and his father is somewhat of a monster, with the implication being he was always this way. This confused me, as in the scenes from Oscar's early life there was nothing to support this, and I didn't know what I was missing. In fact, all the characters took major detours between where we met them in Oscar's youth and where they were when he was eighteen. This, I felt, was a big flaw in the film that kept me from getting too emotionally tied to any of the characters. Still though, a solid effort with a strong ending. 3.5/5

Closet Monster on Netflix

The Strange Color of Your Body's Tears

I tend to either really like or really loathe experimental French cinema, and sadly I loathed this. The half star is for the beauty of the direction, which was audacious and oddly pleasing. The soundscape was also interesting, that I will also praise. But there was no story here, no characters, no coherency. I made it about half way and had to turn it off it got so on my last nerve. Not for me, thank you. 1.5/5

The Strange Color of Your Body's Tears on Netflix

Willow Creek

Bobcat Goldthwait tries his hand at horror and does a decent job of it in this found-footage Bigfoot flick. This is a better version of a "Blair Witch" movie than that god-awful "Blair Witch" sequel was. Just one couple camping in the woods, looking for Bigfoot, and all hell slowly breaks loose. There's a long, extended shot that lasts for several minutes without moving the camera at all towards the end. I thought I would end up being annoyed with it, but the tension build so nicely during it that I was genuinely impressed. I do think that there is a two-second shot at the end that simply doesn't need to be there, but that may be my personal preference for this type of film, which I truly do love. All in all, a good horror film. 3.5/5

Willow Creek on Netflix

Owl and the Sparrow

This is a beautiful movie that made me cry real tears all through the end. It's full of heart and is in the spirit of "Amelie" with a ten-year old Vietnamese girl as the matchmaker. The acting is quite good, and little Han Thi Pham is adorable. I really enjoyed this, it's a very special film. 4/5

Owl and the Sparrow on Netflix