AndSoForth

IMDb member since July 2021
    Lifetime Total
    25+
    IMDb Member
    3 years, 3 months

Reviews

Talk to Me
(2022)

Doesn't feel very new
The whole cast is superb. Unfortunately, the plot isn't as great and it's not ''atmospheric'' enough to pretend to not care about a plot. As much as I wanted it not to be, it remained a cliché from beginning to end. Not a terrible one and it had some innovations here and there but if it weren't for the cast carrying out the scenes so well, it would have been yet another horror movie.

Spoiler : To me the plot really took a cheaper path when the mother was introduced. This is nothing more than the usual ''evil spirit passing as a loved one to trick you into letting them in'' which is 90% of possession-themed movies and nothing new seemed to have been added here.

The story also feels more rushed towards the end in that the directors are trying to simultaneously commit to multiple ideas that are not fully developed and nourished.

5/10 made 6/10 for the spot on acting.

Run Sweetheart Run
(2020)

Silly
The script is so poor it's just silly. I do not particularly think it is well-acted so there isn't much to save this sinking ship. The ''monster'' can't be taken any seriously.

I got into watching thinking this could be a strong thriller with elements of Eagle Eye (well for some reason, my mistake) with some sort of omniscient game master with a powerful bribing power over the city.

The way things got handled at the police station were just so unrealistic and silly that it set the tone for the rest of the movie. Anything that comes after that is plain foolish. Next you have the ex boyfriend that is picking up the beaten up, wounded protagonist who thinks it's best to stop the car unless she tells him what's going on. Probably this was still too realistic for the scriptwriters that they decided to top if off with pure nonsense with the off screen massacre seen. Oh and they also ''tried'' to throw in some humor with the friends of the ex only to show that they were equally as bad in this category.

I'm not even going to talk about the blood thing.

Smile
(2022)

Well directed but borrows a lot
I'll give it a 6 because it is very well directed and acted but if you're being honest, the best of it is borrowed from other movies which makes it lack originality.

It's OK for a movie to share references and similarities but some of the shots are directly replicated from other directors, like the distorted neck scene is an import from Aterrados. I just couldn't get past this.

Other similarities have been mentioned. Even the smile thing could make you feel you are watching a ''truth or dare'' remake at first. Giant guy coming out the door frame escaped from It Follows only in a less creepy manner.

However, these appropriations were nicely curated. I'll give them that - I'd rather have interesting elements that are borrowed than the usual clichés that no longer have any effect on the viewer. They had a clear direction with this so I guess I would have expected to see more from it, it's always a bit of a let down to see they could have brought something new to the table but for some reason they didn't.

Barbarian
(2022)

Gradually disappointing
First part is very nicely done and had me hooked from the very first minutes. Interesting filming, great acting with rational realistic thinking (which is refreshing) nice atmospheric eerie feel and attention to details.

Then comes the second part. I thought I would give it a chance as the first part didn't seem to leave room for disappointment.

Well, not only was there disappointment but they somehow achieved to ruin the entire movie. Seemed like there were two different directors that had complete different views of where they wanted to go with this.

All in all, this second part felt rushed, unbalanced and uninspired. Went from 9/10 to 4/10.

The Watcher
(2022)

Great series
Great series overall. Like most current shows this one is LOOSELY based on a true story which means that it is not the real thing. Watch a documentary instead if that's what you're looking for.

I liked the atmosphere, the acting and the mystery that revolves around the house. It becomes clear that there is not one watcher but connections between neighbors to be made. Starting from the ''Ode to a house'' being passed on to new students and eventually, new owners. It's clear that everyone who has lived in the house before has been obsessing about it, almost like it's been stolen from one to another. No one actually could afford it to begin with. The house only is a subject of obsession, for the family this is ''what they always wanted'', ''we almost had it'' they say. When he's back to the city and confronted to daily city life issues, the husband can't let go of this achievement the house could have been. He then becomes in turn one of the many ''watchers''. The mystery can never be solved because of the involvement of too many people with different motives (financial motives, personal obsessions, history preservation, jealousy, etc.). Even the husband, by sending fake letters, adds to the convoluted puzzle that becomes more and more difficult to solve for future owners.

However, some could have been left out like the mysterious phone call which was the most overused cliché along with some ''twists'' you could have seen coming from episode one or two, like the realtor becoming a suspect only after something like 5 episodes when her motive was made clear from the start.

Also not consistent was no one ever really ever watched the cameras. Specifically when ''pigtail girl'' happened. This whole thing didn't make sense. (The security guy only watched the full tapes after using them and the father (nor his wife) did even bother to).

Grimcutty
(2022)

Nothing new
Nothing new here although I somehow appreciate the effort of exploring the idea of overprotective parenting. This wasn't taken very far due to the teen targeted nature of the movie (starting with the title ''grimcutty'' that sure can't be taken any seriously).

It's not poorly acted but it's also not very interesting. The plot is lazy and has most of the usual clichés so it's a mix of many movies you have seen before.

Could have been more interesting had they treated the parenting theme more adequately or at least focused on it rather than trying to tick all the current boxes (i.e. Social media, viral videos (much more interesting was how viral the ''detox box'' guidelines went across town, but it's overlooked)

Speak No Evil
(2022)

Actually realistic
I don't know why so many reviewers try to find cohesiveness in the way the protagonists react to the situations. This is a movie and not real life. While dialogues and situations lean towards a realistic approach, the movie mainly is a metaphorical one.

In real life, you would not get this instantly brainwashed into staying at this place and would run away after the daughter in bed sequence, or maybe even just after the vegetarian one. However, from the very beginning we hear the couple sharing their reluctance towards their visit while adding 'that they ''would feel bad to say no''. This is what sets the tone.

The couple cannot even say no to something that don't really want and embark in a 8 hour drive for something they're not into.

I don't know why everyone is saying ''a father would not let this happen'', they need to man up, etc. Why take for granted they are a functional family to begin with ? They're clearly not.

The mother may probably suffer from depression (they may both) and is prone to panic attacks as you realize when she goes outside for air and comments ''I don't like her to see me when I'm like this'' so this isn't something new. Anxiety + depression have a numbing effect hence their passive behavior throughout. They're simply stuck and paralyzed.

Their insecurity is such that they become the most gullible, combined with political correctness and potential personality/mood/anxiety disorders, the way they react to this could actually happen.

Just like when they go back because the father cannot say no to the crying daughter, he's lost sense of rationality but rather thinks this would make him a better dad. When discussing the issues with their hosts, they're again confronted with their lack of parenting (''where were you when your daughter needed you?'' is left unanswered). The parents are massively insecure about their parenting skills which is why they can't be assertive. This is when distortions take place - instead of knowing that you're right, you're irrationally convinced that you are the problem.

They may also try to convince themselves that they need to have a good time and maybe they're just too stuck up. The mother says she felt uncomfortable when their hosts were kissing and driving recklessly but again, maybe she's too stuck up and find in this a picture of something more freeing and liberating that she would want to access. She actually doesn't know what is and what isn't socially acceptable at this point because her references are biased and distorted.

Only after seeing the floating corpse of the child the father decides it's time to leave. This very much makes sense as he's confronted with reality and fatality. For once, there is no room for interpretation in what is seen.

As for the ending and the non-reactiveness from the parents. I agree this would not happen in real life (survival instinct, etc.) but it is meant as a metaphorical and stylistic expression that exploits the full extent of their psychology. The last scene is nothing but suicide.

Lastly, trying to find motives is not relevant here. We are faced with a couple of psychopaths that takes delight in humiliating and manipulating. They're on the lookout for people sharing this very psychological profile they know is easy to manipulate. Many clues suggests that the couple was being tested during the holidays and they probably put up the same old scheme every time (i.e. Showing confidence to talk in public to see who's coming to talk to them, lying about being a doctor to see reactions, see how people politely react to bad jokes, etc.). Testing continues at home when they offer meat to the vegetarian mom. As she accepts, she becomes ''the one''.

Cerdita
(2022)

Took the wrong route
Laura Galán was convincing in her role and the movie is well directed. Only wish they would have stuck to the thriller genre as so much more could have come out of it. When the story entered horror territory, it just lost its charm, sense of realism and humor as well as its credibility. It also became somewhat expected and a bit of a letdown.

While not perfect, it is still definitely worth a watch if you like a good slow paced thriller with tension along with hints of humor.

The Black Phone
(2021)

Everything looks fake
Trying to look edgy with the nostalgic aesthetic but ends up looking fake and empty. You can't take anything seriously in this movie and it's a shame as the storyline could have easily been a great one. Even the basement walls look fake and cheap.

Everything Everywhere All at Once
(2022)

Every meme everywhere all at once
As much as I enjoyed Michelle Yeoh's acting, the movie itself is no more interesting than a series of combined social media memes. It will appeal to a younger generation but the visuals were not for me and thus had no comedy quality. What was left then was an interesting storyline that would have been better off without the unnecessary goofy elements such as the bagel which for me ruined the entire movie and made it seem like it was trying too hard to be symbolic, accessible and popular. The underlying messages and references were nothing but a sweeping acceptance and self-acceptance thing. Not so much to think upon.

I found the opening scene to be much more promising when it stayed in the realm of realism which made the title less literal and the story somehow deeper. Being everywhere all at once with no time for yourself to figure out what is happening in your life is a great theme and a more realistic portrayal of the situation would have led to the same amount of absurdity, only maybe more subtle than what it turned out to be.

You Are Not My Mother
(2021)

Very well acted
While it's not exactly new, this movie offers an interesting portrayal of teenagers dealing with their parents mental illness and doesn't use the typical demon mythology which for a horror flick feels refreshing.

Overall the movie is rooted in realism and the acting is spot on. The way some scenes quickly shift from uneasy to eerie actions is quite clever and reflects the mother's behavior gradually becoming more irrational. I found the daughter's reaction to these scenes to be very realistic, combining disgust, anger, helplessness but empathy.

Dark
(2017)

An interesting stylistic exploration
Review is for season 01 only.

First episode somehow goes against the grain in that it reveals what would usually be ''the whole plot''. I found this was an interesting way of doing as it suggests that the plot is going to be somewhere else. However, it gives you so many clues from the get-go that you are put in an omniscient position which tends to become more of a contemplative one. That is to say, you witness the actors slowly gathering together everything that you know already and for the viewer that I am, this is extremely annoying. There are a lot of back and forth to the caves that always seem to follow the same pattern. You may think the storyline is not a linear one and granted, it is not, but the way season 01 unravels, it does still present a linear storyline except it is duplicated and meant to not be focused on.

After being aware of everything, you are then being dispossessed of your knowledge where only the characters have the answers as to where they come from, how they are related, etc. This is where it becomes more of a stylistic experience, the direction/scenario acting more as a hindrance to the development of the story, retaining clues so that the viewer is kept in the dark.

I will give the directors that - it is a new approach to storytelling that I have not seen yet stretched into a series format. The closest approach to this I found is in the French literary movement ''Nouveau Roman'' which is worth pondering over.

Now about the pseudo philosophical/scientific dialogues. This was one of the biggest let down for me. The series is crushed by the overuse of cheap symbolism that makes little to no sense (only does on a surface level). It's over-explained too. I have in mind a split screen that was used as a present/past parallel when it was obvious already. This has a very tautological ''what you see is what you see'' approach and so it suggests from the series title ''Dark'' to the naming of each episodes which are direct commentaries on their content. This could pass as a nihilistic attempt but it has to be supported by more substance. Instead, you are given a very conventional imagery and vocabulary, i.e. ''circles'', the underground cave system, the cold-war aesthetics, the birds, the hooded man in the forest, etc. So I was left with this dilemma, knowing I was going to be confronted with growing complexity while at the same time thinking that the reasons behind this were supported and conveyed through a blatantly simplistic reasoning. Which eventually meant asking myself, do I want to be a part of this and is it even worth to be?

On the plus side, they developed a very neat work on the atmosphere and the filming + directing had some innovative angles that are worth mentioning. Some of the flaws I found this series had also turned out to be the most pleasant. I didn't like the overall contemplative thing nor did I enjoy most of its symbolism BUT most scenes have a certain rawness to them which is refreshing for a series to have a more frontal and unapologetic approach to filming, exploring narratives and portraying characters.

Eli
(2019)

Interesting take
Not that it's revolutionary but Eli is a refreshing take on the theme (that you will discover as you watch the movie). It has a coherent storyline, a great cast and a strong build-up leading to the final twist(s). The atmosphere is spot on and I found many subtle details that elevated the movie outside of the usual clichés (which are there too, to some extent).

I found the mystery surrounding the ''procedures'' very well communicated through Eli's lack of understanding of the institute as well as the pain he endured. This was supported by tiny albeit clever elements like the actor asking the nurses where they are from as they spoke a foreign language which nicely added to the overall sense of confusion and helplessness.

Delirium
(2018)

The best parts are subplots.
If it weren't for the interesting plot twist, I would have given this movie a lower 2/10 score.

The main plot is extremely conventional and filled with overused/archetypal ideas let alone the deceitful portrayal of psychotic episodes that is a silly as is it misinforming.

There is about nothing you cannot see coming before it does. Except maybe for that ultimate plot twist which surprisingly was used as a subplot when the movie really should have been about this. There were so many ways this could have been great.

In the end, this movie felt like a student project, except it clearly had some budget and an incredible set that would have helped building a denser atmosphere. It's a bit of a fail there.

Pieces of Her
(2022)

Good premise - gets gradually bad
Would have worked better as a shorter 5-episode series or a 90 minute film. The first 4 episodes are interesting and catchy enough to keep you wanting to know more. But once the mystery is fully unraveled, there isn't much left to make you look past the horrible decisions the characters are taking and how contrived this all feels.

I have a strong feeling that some of these annoying plotholes are directly imported from the book (things like conveniently forgetting your bag/suitcase again and again and again and again so that there is action to follow up on).

The main leads did their best though which made the series enjoyable beyond its storyline.

Archive 81
(2022)

Very engaging
Cursed tapes have become a prolific subgenre over the recent years and this series is one of the better ones.

I could have done without episode 8 that did not fit the series storytelling pattern which is otherwise very consistent and a great example of merged realities while still evolving on a same timeline. This was very well done and never did it lean to over-confusing gimmicks.

Some episodes do carry some clichés but it feels new overall. The characters are ones you care for which makes this series and easy and captivating watch.

No Exit
(2022)

Very average
Dialogues are poorly written and acting is mostly bad (but not to the point it's unwatchable). The story could have been interesting had it not been completely unbelievable and unrealistic.. to the end.

Only one plot twist I found could have been worth pushing (the mocking ''dancing'' tape). It could have made for an excellent social commentary but unfortunately was left overlooked.

Shut In
(2022)

Everthing you have seen before
Lazy plot, bad character development, unrealistic behaviors... That scene where the daughter asked for crackers only to have her mother come back outside to get them and see the intruder suddenly appear in the window was a huge turn off for me. Come on! The daughter is old enough to understand danger and enter panic mode and the mother smart enough to not stop for non-urgent needs. I just hate when children are used to fill up plot holes or generate nonsensical twists like these.

If you do want to go with this kind of plot twists and happen to care about your audience, there are far more realistic and rational ways of doing. Think Panic room where Jody Foster needs to come out to get her diabetic daughter the glucose shot she needs. Same thing but at least it makes sense which in my opinion matters most.

Oculus
(2013)

The mirror did it
I genuinely loved this movie. As entertainment horror movies go, this one is a really nice one. Acting is on point (kudos to the child actors who did great here) and the story stays away from the most obvious clichés of the genre which in a mirror-themed horror movie could make for the easy way out. Instead, it delivers a well-directed dual movie where the events are alternatively set in the present time and seen as recalled through the lenses of the protagonists younger selves. The movie achieved this in a way that took me back to childhood somehow where objects are given magical or superstitious qualities.

It also stays true to itself and has a clear vision of where it is going rather than trying to become some sort of so-called mind bending movie with endless twists. This is not the pretentious type and this was much appreciated.

Guilty Party
(2021)

Not the hilarious type and that is great
I'll start by saying I really don't get the hate on this one.

The score slowly went up as the episodes came out but I remember this series had a terrible score after episode one. Literally who gives 1 star to a series only after watching one single episode ? This should warn you about the lack of honesty behind the poor ratings.

Now about the series itself, I really enjoyed it from the get go, it surprised me on different levels with various types of humor and never did it take itself too seriously. I found it to be well acted. Plus the story is interesting beyond the comedy part. That's about all I'm asking for..

Give it a try - unless you're expecting a one joke per minute ratio because this is not it. But if you like anti-hero clumsy characters and situational humor, chances are you will like this one.

Le calendrier
(2021)

Interesting take
Interesting take on the traditional Christmas movie. Despite being a horror flick, I felt the movie still kept touch with the genre (i.e. The atmosphere, the lighting, the miracle/hope theme).

I didn't see as many plot holes as some comments may suggest but I agree some scenes could have been made shorter while I still appreciated some other slower paced ones as they did bring something to the story in terms of realism and character building.

The ending is valid and will keep us questioning on an ethical level which is something that is nicely achieved throughout the movie.

I didn't give it a higher score only because the acting came a bit short for me. Not that it's poorly acted, it's not - but it did seem like the actors were reading from a script at times which felt slightly contrived and unauthentic. I believe this is more of a directing issue.

Lastly, I was afraid the story would become repetitive and expected as the doors kept opening but it also came up with new visuals/feelings/twists to keep it entertaining to the end.

Stranger Things
(2016)

Missed opportunities
Too bad the spirit of the first season was not kept.

Briefly ; Season 01 : Despite a lack of originality (mostly due to the fact that the script is borrowing from so many references and existing movies - which is not a criticism btw), the acting felt less contrived and caricatural than it has become and the story was overall much more relatable (the one of the missing child, the police investigation thereof as well as the friends and family's despair and grief and of course the unravelling mystery and character building of El).

From there, Season 02 was a bit of a let down since it only seemed to be repeating the same pattern with no real development from where we were left in the previous season. I started to get less attaches to the main characters and care less about what would happen to them.

Now season 03 was just too goofy for me. Even more caricatural than the previous season and the characters were reduced to stereotypes making the series even less relatable and ''serious'' as a sci-fi show. It's nothing you haven't seen before while there could have been so many ways to elevate this take on the 80s Russian villain thing.

It's like they decided to make this a (pre)-teen show when it had solid qualities to make it a great sci-fi series.

Letting go of the mysterious/atmospheric element of the show was the worst move - now it's all too bland.

The Night House
(2020)

Authentic tension
Very well-acted drama. The lead actress is always on point- Lots of growing tension as the actress begins to patch pieces together, each one unraveling another mystery although it can eventually get clumsy. Some of the discoveries made sense on a psychological level while others felt contrived and unnecessary.

No One Gets Out Alive
(2021)

Uneven
Nice scenery and good acting. I enjoyed the lead character's development at first but it's like they wanted to rush the movie halfway through making the actress less relatable, the events more cliché and expected.

Old
(2021)

Could have been great
It may not deserve a 6/10 but I don't feel like being too harsh on this one.

The premise is quite excellent and the explanation of why things are happening on the island actually does make sense.

The acting can be off sometimes but I eventually grew into it as I realized it added to the eerie atmosphere of the place (-I don't think this was intended).

Still I wish it would have been treated in a more subtle way that would play with the viewer's emotions making it more ethically challenging.

The ending scene felt was a let down.

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