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.

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!

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

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