Hopeu

South Korea do great monster movies.

A mutilated cow leads to a hunt for some creature that could do it, that then leads into a chase through town against a monster. However, that is just the first part of the movie. Then the second part kicks in, and there are wider things going on. (And by the ending, we realise we've been following the wrong characters in the movie all along - there is clearly meant to be more movies after this.)

This is a comedy, in that it has comedic elements, that, however, fit badly. There is a lot of tense build up (and a lot of "don't see the monster" to begin with), and a lot of action, and the comedic elements really drop in like a stone dropped into soup. I can see what they wanted, but the tone switches too badly.

I missed seeing this in the theaters because it was screening late, and it is a long movie (over 2 1/2 hours). It could be shorter as there are some repeated sequences in there of "group of people find creature, they are killed, and then the next group find the creature". And the CGI creatures do feel a little unfinished (it was originally screened in an unfinished form, with better effects to come... these don't feel that finished).

On the whole, a good movie, that could be tightened up a little. And needs a sequel or two. 

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Hey Buuuuuuuddy

I love Buddy, he loves me! 

Buddy is a wonderful magical unicorn, with kids that love to sing and hug. Just as long as you do what he says, everything is great. Ignore that the children are getting killed off, and disappearing from the world. Just love Buddy... you better!

I did know some of this movie going in, which might have tainted this a bit, but... this felt very one note. Get the idea of an evil Barney? Got it? GOT IT?? Well, that's all there is. Taking kids through the television reminded me of an episode of Angel... and the whole thing reminded me of Mr Crocket.

By premise, there are kid actors, but they aren't terrible. On the adult side, we get Cristin Milioti as a one-note mother, and for example Patton Oswalt as a voice, and of course Keegan-Michael Kay as (at least the voice) of Buddy.

I've seen this done better. I prefer the more surreal nature of DHMIS.

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Infarmiry

Debut feature film? Yep, feels like it. 

A new guy is on security detail at an abandoned mental hospital, and everything goes swimmingly.

As Found Footage this is fine, with also some body cams to break it up. However, there is also a lot of "we are going to spend time wandering long hallways with nothing happening" to also break up the moments of nothing else happening. Because not a lot does happen. Which is getting towards being atmospheric, which I like, but also the rare jump scares aren't really that scary, and you expect what is coming.

This feels a lot like "hey, we found this place, let's film something here" which does explain a lot. The filmmakers have a few ideas, but otherwise "this space is neat, actors, do some stuff". The overall plot (such as there is) is about five minutes, with the rest of time just being creepy.

As a first film, fine, there is some potential here, but definitely want to see some improvement for a next piece.

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Matchabox

Wow, even I can tell this is an extreme second monitor movie.

Sean is now a spy and he and his childhood friends are caught up in a bomb mission and...

Nothing that happens in this movie is worth a damn. There is one "original" twist (which I won't give away here), but then they hammer that point home so hard it's not a twist but it is repeated for those who weren't paying attention the first time. Lots of car chases and John Cena getting into fights and explosions... just like Matchbox!

As you expect, the link to the product is really slim. The childhood friends play with them for like a minute, and we see some tiny cars at two other moments, but otherwise it has no relevance what so ever. I will check the trivia after this, and if I find out "this was a generic movie they slapped the Matchbox label on" I will die from non-surprise.

It's fine, the acting is fine (definitely not great), the action is fine, the story is... not fine, but I doubt people are watching this for a heartfelt drama. Watch it if you will, but set expectations appropriately. 

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ACME? Coyote?

ACME and Coyote, together at last! 

Wile E. has had enough of problems with ACME and gets himself a lawyer to put things to right. And he has a lot of problems... but he doesn't have a good lawyer. Kevin Avery goes for the settle, but Wile E. won't accept that, and together (unwillingly) they take on the good name of ACME... and damn if this whole thing isn't heart warming!

I haven't seen Space Jam, so Roger Rabbit was my go-to for human/cartoon interaction, and this is extremely well done as that was. Okay, it's not 100% perfect, but everything fits so well that I just breezed over any interaction problems. My main issue (of course I have one) is that this movie is a tad on the longer side for what we are getting. 100 minutes this doesn't need to be.

Will Forte is great as Avery, and John Cena plays well with his own image as Buddy Crane. Others are decent, and always up for a Luis Guzmán cameo. And Wile E. Coyote playing himself, as does the Road Runner, are complete classics.

So yes, this is a film to watch! 

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Mootiny

Wow, now that's a generic movie!

Jason Statham has a boss that gets killed, and so he goes on a killing spree as a one man army. Okay, that sounds... like any of his movies, but this one is on a boat! And he has a female partner who was a member of the crew, but, unlike all the men, isn't evil! Woooo!

This really isn't winning any awards for innovation. The only reason I'm writing about it is because I watched it and didn't have anything else going on. Aside from Jason, we have some other actors who... I haven't seen elsewhere, so as part of a group of actors they got wholesale? Although there is Adrian Lester, who's scenes feel like they were all filmed in one day on one set.

As an entry in the Statham-kicks-ass series, this is... certainly an entry and is 95 minutes. 

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Teenage and Sex and Death

In many ways this is not a subtle movie... although some parts are probably too subtle for me.

Kris is a new director and brought into resurrect the Camp Miasma slasher movie series. For inspiration, she heads out to where it was films and hooks up with the original final girl Billy. But in order to really understand the movie, to become one with what is happening, they need to give themselves over to the Little Death.

Yeah, Little Death. As I said, this isn't subtle. This movie is more than a little about sex, with the penetrating staff delivering lots of splatter. As Billy says "flesh and fluid".

But as it is somewhat meta... I'm not totally vibing with it. "We're meta because we can be" is not necessarily a great reason to be meta. This is about what a slasher movie series is these days, and about recapturing the sense of sex they represented, and the queerness of following the leading girl, even with the male gaze... no doubt many people will unpack this way better than I can.

Hannah Einbinder is fine as Kris, and Gillian Anderson as Billy is... I can't really tell is she wants to be in this movie or not. I assume so because she is in this movie, but she comes across quite distant. There are quite a few cameos of other famous faces, which is cool. And the whole effects are fine, if not quite believable for representing cinema at the time.

For those that are the target audience, this's gonna go down well.

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