Glass

Released: 2019

Directed by: M. Night Shyamalan

Cast: Samual L. Jackson, Bruce Willis, James McAvoy, Sarah Paulson

The final installment of the Eastrail 177 Trilogy. We meet Mr. Glass, David Dunn, and the Horde once more, all together. But is it just a coincidence that they’re under the same roof? We last left David Dunn in Unbreakable after besting Elijah Price after the terror he was the mastermind behind. Continuing, we meet Kevin Wendell Crumb. Or at least the other identities of his DID diagnosis. At last, we get to Mr. Glass’s story. All rounded up to be convinced they’re not superhumans and it’s all a mere figment of their delusion, the trio are immersed in a world they never asked for. Elijah Price is catatonic so his mastermind skills are fuzzy. Or are they? Will the woman win in her fight to convince them or is she a pawn in Mr. Glass’s world? And what exactly is Kevin’s significance with Mr. Glass?

Bravo Mr. Shyamalan for creating a film so intellectually satisfying. Glass takes you on a trip through hell and back and with the phenomenal acting of the cast, I tip my hat. After so many terrible reviews I can understand why certain people would say it was bad. However, they lack the mere satisfaction of the ultimate win. Hero and villain collide in this mastermind of a film. Watching this I was heartbroken, however, I understand the route Shyamalan took and I am forever grateful. Though it’s not how I would have ended it, it was still satisfying and to go any further would take away from the message left in the end.

Seeing Bruce work with Spencer (playing David’s son) was so great. I love when they’re able to get former actors to reprise their original roles along with Elijah’s mother. (Yes the same woman from Unbreakable). I would recommend this any who have followed the other films and kept an open mind. That’s the important thing.

Shyamalan continues to be one of my all-time favorite creators.

9/10 stars.

Alpha

Released: 2018

Director: Albery Hughes

Cast: Kodi Smit-McPhee

Alpha is the story of a young man Keda, who goes off with his family to hunt for his tribe with his people and father in 20,000 years ago in Paleolithic Europe. Keda wants to please his father but he’s still inexperienced and frightened at what he’s told to do. However, one wrong move sends Keda down a road alone. Injured and alone, Keda must find his way home before it’s too late. He befriends a wolf whom he injures and nurses back to health and together, the two embark on a long journey of loss of innocence, trust, and friendship.

This is a sad and beautiful film. the character that Kodi portrays goes through struggles and the pure determination that he exhibits is encouraging. I really enjoyed this film a lot more than I expected to. It’s was heartbreaking and heartwarming and downright beautiful to see the relationship between man and beast.

7.5/10

The House with a Clock in Its Walls

Released: 2018

Director: Eli Roth

Cast: Jack Black, Cate Blanchett, Kyle MacLauchlin

Who doesn’t love magic? The House with a Clock in Its Walls is based on the 1973 novel of the same name by John Bellairs. The film follows Lewis, a young boy who receives a letter from his maternal uncle after his parents die. He goes off to live with his uncle in a mysterious house with, you guessed it, many many clocks. Why? Well, you find out during the film why there are so many clocks all set at different times.

Let me just start by saying that Eric Kripke wrote the screenplay and anyone who is a Supernatural fan, knows what this means. Easter eggs. From flannel plaid to a patch on Lewis’ backpack with an S and D on it, there are a few that will satisfy the diehard fan. As for the film, it was awesome.

Jack Black plays Jonathan Branavelt, a warlock who is hiding a secret. Trying to stop a clock in the walls of his house left behind by someone he once considered a friend. That friend once thought to be dead is now back and as powerful as ever with the plan to make everyone disappear. With the help of his nephew Lewis and a witch named Florence Zimmerman, Jonathan must stop evil warlock Issac Izard before it’s too late.

Will they be successful? Will Issac take over the world and make humanity disappear? Some may see this film as corny and one of Eli Roth’s more childish of films, probably the only one. With a cast of Jack Black, it was sure to be a hit.

8.5/10 stars!

Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri

Released: 2017

Director: Martin McDonagh

Cast: Frances McDormand, Woody Harrelson, Sam Rockwell, Caleb Landy Jones, Peter Dinklage

Hey, guys, I’m back with a review. I know it’s been a while. School and all that jazz. But here goes nothing.

Three billboards are set up outside Ebbing, Missouri. A place that suffered a tragedy. A distraught mother lost her daughter and when the police failed to come up with answers, Mildred Hayes (McDormand) takes it upon herself to let the whole town and any passersby know it. She buys them for the year and taunts the police department for answers into her daughters’ murder.

This film…I honestly don’t know where to begin. I was a little skeptical going into this film because I didn’t want to like it. Strange, right? However, the writing and the acting alone made this film what it was; a classic. The sheer emotion and determination that Frances McDormand harnessed for this character and the raw pain you could see just by looking at her made her deserve the award.

Great character development by Sam Rockwell, too. Although when he first appeared I shouted “MAGROTHEA!” that sent my dad into a laughing fit. He’ll always be Zaphod for me. But that’s beside the point. This man was able to take a hated man and make something flourish out of it.

Kudos. I really liked this film and even though the ending may be dissatisfying for some, I enjoyed it a lot. It was like real life, unexplained, unfinished. Cold cases that sit there for years and are never solved. I’m glad it didn’t win best picture but the cast deserved it for their roles.

Jurassic World: Fallen Kingdom

Released: 2018

Director: J. A. Bayona

Cast: Chris Pratt, Bryce Dallas Howard, Daniella Pineda.

DINOSAURS! Life finds a way! I grew up loving Jurassic Park, from the film to the novel. Though, having been directed by Steven Speilberg it was completely different than the novel as his other adaptations are. As though the man can’t come up with his own material. But that’s not what this post is about, no. It’s about DINOSAURS.

Claire and Owen are back in this one to save the animals from Isla Nublar which is being engulfed by the erupted volcano. It’s been a few years since we were last on the land of yet another failed park, Jurassic World. And we even hear from the mouth of Ian Malcolm that nature should take its course.

Well, I say fuck you, Ian. Henry Wu, our villain from the last film has returned to sell whatever animals were saved to the highest bidders. And we see yet another hybrid creation more distrustful and dangerous than the Indominous Rex. And yes, the dinosaurs haven’t been updated with feathers like scientists have discovered but this isn’t a factual film. I’m sure if Michael Crichton was alive, he’d make an updated novel with the information out there.

Nor can one create such hybrids as these. Though mashing it enough times could have a plausible outcome. It’s a world of fiction. Science Fiction to science fact.

All I can say is TOBY JONES AND JAMES CROMWELL!

And blue!

As a lover of biology and genetics and a huge fan of dinosaurs even at 25, this was a great sequel to the 2015 film and I cannot wait for the last installment to the Jurassic World series.

8.5/10

Table 19

Released: 2017

Director: Jeffrey Blitz

Cast: Anna Kendrick, Craig Robinson, Lisa Kudrow, Wyatt Russell

Weddings. Who doesn’t love weddings? Unless you’re the leftovers that get put at table 19. The film follows a group of strangers, a nanny, a long time friend, a rocky couple, a virgin, and a criminal. A dysfunctional group is placed at a table that shouldn’t have RSVP’d.

Eloise (Kendrick) gets invited to her long-time friend’s Francie’s wedding. One where she was originally to be the maid of honor of. The only catch is her best friend’s brother Teddy (Russell) is her ex-boyfriend.

Jerry (Robinson) and Bina (Kudrow) Kepp are owners of a diner who seem to have a bit of a rocky relationship when they arrive at the reception hall.

Jo was the former nanny of Teddy and Francie who did her best to take care of the children while thinking Teddy was rotten.

Walter is a convicted felon.

Renzo is a young man whose mom is trying to help get him laid/find him a girlfriend.

After wondering why they were placed at table 19 together out of the way, Eloise explains the rundown of the seating charts that she created before being dumped by her boyfriend and dropping out as maid of honor for Francie’s wedding. The gang starts thinking they shouldn’t even be there until they realize the importance of the table doesn’t matter as much as helping Eloise try to get back or get even with Teddy.

I enjoyed this film quite a lot. It’s one of the better drama’s that I actually thought was better than pure comedy. The relationship between Jerry and Bina was so raw and real and the pain that Eloise and Teddy exhibited was both heartbreaking and yet heartwarming. I wanted to jump through the screen and hug every single one of the tablemates.

And come on, the cast was is just golden.

Bedeviled

Released: 2016

Director: The Vang Brothers

Cast: Saxon Sharbino, Victory Van Tuyl, Brandon Soo Hoo, Bonnie Morgan.

After the death of their friend, a group of teens starts receiving an app invite from her phone. Similar to Siri, Mr. Bedevil is an A.I app set to help with their needs like a companion as well as have the ability to turn off lights, start the smart car, etc.

But the app isn’t what it appears to be. It gets more personal than either one of them can handle. Cody has a fear of cops and white people, his fears start to manifest in the reality. Alice is afraid of her grandmother who is now deceased; she see’s her grandmother who tries to kill her. As the days go by, Mr. Bedevil gets stranger and stranger. Friends start to turn on one another after they experience their fears coming to life. Even the skeptical Dan and Haley.

Cody tries to hack into the server to kill it but with Mr. Bedevil changing the keys, it’s a race against the clock to stop this entity before it’s too late.

It has the same feel as One Missed Call for me but it’s more updated for today. Isn’t that scary though, how we depend so much on our phones and technology that we don’t pay attention to what we download? Who knows what could be out there or what sort of intelligence artificial things can develop. Time to go old school with tech! tape recorders, rotary phones.

The acting could have been a little more authentic but all in all, it’s not a bad chiller. Also what kind of jobs do their parents even do to have such amazing large houses? And where the hell are their parents? So many questions.
A b-rated horror film for me. The story was done really well, too. I found it to have a satisfying ending that left me wanting more.

7/10

Jaws

Released: 1975

Director: Steven Spielberg

Cast: Roy Scheider, Richard Dreyfuss, Robert Shaw, Lorraine Gary

Da Dum. Da Dum.

Amity Island used to be safe…until now. The remains of a woman washed up on shore and quickly forces the chief to close the beaches. However, the mayor overrules him on that. That is until another more public attack happens on the beach. With the help of oceanographer Matt Hooper (Dreyfuss), and shark hunter Quint (Shaw), chief Martin Brody (Scheider) goes hunting for the killer beast beneath the sea.

I absolutely love sharks, I always have. But the water is their territory. You take that chance every time you get into the water with these magnificent beasts. The more people learned about them, the better they could be to defend themselves when necessary or just share the water peacefully. They are very intelligent creatures, too. Never underestimate any species of them. Unless it’s a whale shark, then you’re fine.

I loved Hooper and Quint so much. The dedication they had to their work and the arguing book knowledge vs experience. You put those two together and you get a hell of a team.

If Jaws was remade today, the only thing I would like is more realistic looking sharks. For the 70s it wasn’t bad but for now what they could do with today’s technology the tiger and great white would look amazing. The shark moved a little too slow for my liking. As a film, it was decent enough.

4/10

Gerald’s Game

Released: 2017

Director: Mike Flanagan

Cast: Bruce Greenwood, Carla Gugino

Based on the novel of the same name by Stephen King

Jessie (Gugino) and her husband Gerald (Greenwood) travel to an isolated house to try to work on their marriage. Gerald has a BDSM kink. Trying to make it work, Jessie gives her husband what he wants and decides to do a scene with him. But at his age, Gerald takes a little blue pill to help him along.

Everything is fine until he has a heart attack while Jessie is handcuffed to the bed frame.

Jessie begins to hallucinate with dehydration and starvation, reliving some old memories and seeing things making her wonder what’s real and what’s still in her head. There’s a man stalking her with a bag of bones. (Reference to Bag of Bones, another novel by Stephen King.)

That is a petrifying thought to be in the middle of nowhere with no one around and stuck. You definitely need a firm stomach to watch this film. It’s very graphic and gruesome. Being a King lover I’m not sure whether I liked this or not. It was beautifully crafted and I think Mike Flanagan captured the essence of fear in isolation and Jessie’s past.

Isolation, hallucination, desperation, fear. And definitely anxiety. This is not for the faint-hearted. But it’s a great film for those who want their skin to crawl or goosebumps. Even to have their anxiety spike at the very thought of being alone with no one around.

8/10

Life of the Party

Released: 2018

Director: Ben Falcone

Cast: Melissa McCarthy, Maya Rudolph, Gillian Jacobs, Luke Benward

Before I go into this film, I have to say this. I absolutely love Melissa McCarthy. I grew up with her as Sookie St. James on Gilmore Girls and Ben Falcone is a creative man with a great sense of humor. He’s up there with Judd Apatow for me. And the fact that he makes films that his wife stars in is the goal right there.

After dropping her daughter off for her final year at college, Deanna’s (McCarthy) life is turned upside down when her husband tells her he wants a divorce. She had put her life on hold when she had her daughter and had to drop out of finishing her last year at college. But now Deanna is determined to get her life back on track and take matters into her own hand.

Her daughter, however, is not so keen on sharing the campus with her mother. Everything goes slightly smooth as Deanna works through her divorce until the usual school ignorant mean girl decides to judge mother and daughter. After making some friends, she starts to realize how she needs to let go and learn to have fun again.

I think this is one of my more favorite roles for Melissa because it’s not just pure comedy. There’s quite a bit of real drama in it. And Christina Aguilera. Also, it’s really important to do what you can to get an education. No matter what age you are, you can always go back and learn more. I myself am 25 and about to start college for the first time.

8/10