Reviews

So I've watched 'Halloween Ends' 3 times on Peacock so far, and am about to sit down and watch it again...so, long story short, I love it.

Why?

This film showcases David Gordon Green's most prolific directional efforts. He was able to capture the aesthetic of the Halloween season in Haddonfield; the atmosphere is very creepy, very autumn and very reminiscent of the early entries in the franchise throughout. Not only that, but the way he was able to shift the narrative between Corey, Laurie, Alyson and Michael Myers kept me engaged with each character the whole time.

Moving on to the characters and performances, this is my favorite version of Laurie Strode in this trilogy and probably since the original. She comes across as confident, ready to face her fears, not allowing herself to live in the shadow of Michael Myers any longer. This film is set 4 years after the events of 'Halloween Kills' and you can really see the personal growth in Laurie Strode since then.

Alyson is brought more center stage here. I always felt like this trilogy was setting her up for bigger things, and this entry explores her character in more depth, including her relationship with Laurie as they continue to grow and heal together, and how she and Corey connect.

And that's just it -- this movie almost doesn't feel like a Halloween movie at times. It feels almost like a character study, driven by suspense and even romance -- yes, romance! Not overkill in that department, but the bond between Alyson and Corey was really interesting and drove the movie forward quite a bit. I loved it.

Fair warning: we don't see Michael Myers until about 1/3 of the way into the film. Do with that information what you will; it seems to be dividing a lot of hardcore Halloween fans right now, but I think the character exploration of Corey Cunningham and his transformation throughout the film is enough to keep people engaged, and Myers comes on screen at just the right time.

The dialogue is markedly improved in this film. No more of the one-liners and all-too-profound stuff from Laurie, no more of the "evil dies tonight"....the conversations had by the characters in 'Halloween Ends' feel natural and relatable. Also the attempts at humor are waaaaayyyy scaled back here. The tone of this film is completely serious and tense throughout.

So I do wish the final confrontation between Michael and Laurie was longer and better. It's not bad, I'm not upset about It, it's just that it seems too convenient that they were both in the same place at the same time, and by time the fight breaks out, it's fast -- like, whoa okay I guess we're doing this now! The plot jumps there kinda quick. But hey, I can deal with it. The movie has way too many positives to dwell on the negatives.

Corey Cunningham's transformation throughout the film, his interactions with Michael and Alyson, Laurie's persona.... Man, it all adds up to such an awesome movie. This was a great way to end this trilogy within the timeline and I can't wait to see what's in store for Michael Myers next. Because keep in mind, 'Halloween Ends' is only the end of this trilogy; not the franchise. "You can't kill the boogeyman!"

The horror of 'Barbarian' lies in the suspense that's created. Right from the get-go, the whole situation between Tess and Kieth feels off, and I found myself sitting there anxiously waiting to see if this was gonna turn into some kind of psycho killer kidnapping a girl type of movie. But just when the viewer thinks things are gonna go one way, the film throws a curveball.

This movie has really good cinematography and lighting, especially during the tunnel scenes (you'll see) which are atmospherics and will make you nervous. Also, the music is awesome and contributes to that sense of dread. Our final girl, Tess, makes some really silly and frustrating decisions at times but hey, if you're willing to overlook that, you'll enjoy the movie. Once a big reveal happens, the monstrous villain is shown, and 'Barbarian' turns from a suspense-fueled film into a more standard popcorn flick, honestly. Another cool thing about it is how the story revolves around a few main characters, the narrative shifts so we get to spend a little time with each one, and then their stories are tied together. Sort of an unconventional way of approaching this kind of stuff, so I appreciated that.

This is the type of movie I'd think would go straight to Shudder. Good, fun, pretty solid overall. It is even creepier in its more subtle, psychologically-driven moments as opposed to its louder, in-your-face moments, in my opinion. I'd be interested if there were a prequel revolving around Richard Brake's character and what went down in the house decades prior to the events of this movie.

With his new film 'Men' writer/director Alex Garland did a great job of conveying the feeling of paranoia, as the main character Harper struggled to deal with trauma in her personal life. Retreating to the countryside of England to relax and unwind after a tragedy, Harper can't seem to shake the idea that she's being watched, followed and creepily stalked - but is it real, or just her perception? Moreover why do all the men in the film resemble the same person?

Even the scenes set in broad daylight are creepy. Alex Garland layered beautiful landscapes with eerie silence to create this atmosphere as serene as it is nightmarish. You can feel the isolation and the looming threat as Harper's grip of sanity is slipping.

Everyone is talking about a particular scene that's already gaining momentum to becoming infamous. Indeed it is weird when looking at it on the surface level. I think it's really saying though, that trauma is essentially "born" from one event in Harper's life and that trauma kept giving way to more layers or "rebirths" . Look, there is a lot in this film that is open to interpretation and the whole thing is meant to challenge us as an audience and get us thinking.

So, what is Garland saying about men in this film? What is he saying about grief? Isolation? It's all for you to decide. Just know this film is really creepy throughout and delves heavily into surrealism. I'm still thinking about it and can't wait to see it again.

Seriously, the guy's footwear style slaps! Besides that, I didn't like this movie almost at all. Big fan of Tobe Hooper's 'The Texas Chain Saw Massacre' it is iconic; undoubtedly one of the most terrifying films ever made. Even part 2 and some of the other entries in the franchise, I've enjoyed. But this film right here was just ridiculous. It consisted of one dumb character decision after another (they needed to go with the old lady in the ambulance AND back to the house to look for the deed? Really????), eye-rolling dialogue and a really tacky-looking Leatherface. Plus, he'd be something like 80 years old in 2022 so...yeah, there's that. Also there was no reason to bring Sally back. The gore is okay I guess but doesn't make up for the rest of the film being flat and not scary. I will eventually watch it again because t is a TCM film after all and I tend to give franchise films more chances even when I don't love them, but as of right now I can say this one is highly underwhelming.

I have such mixed feelings about this film. The good pointe are, the performances are strong. Both Emma Stone and Emma Thompson really shine in their roles and I found myself engaged the whole time because of their presence. Also, the sets and costumes are top-notch, as are the music choices - very strong '70s vibes, and that intrigued me. I liked that Cruella/Estella had such an interest in fashion design, and how strong-willed she was, especially ones the "revenge" plot got going.

But yeah, on a deeper level, that's a big part of the problem- the revenge plot. When Cruella first confronts her idol-turned-nemesis-turned birth mother (yup, really), it's this big buildup...:and suddenly...she burns her dress without catching fire and has this big showdown...Wait, does she have magic powers or something? Really? That whole scene took me out of the film for a bit. It didn't match up with the context of how the story was going.

Then, the tension between Cruella and her adversary just sort of goes back end forth...Emma Stone does have a very good monologue at one point, where she accepts her dark identity...But otherwise, there were just too many situations in the latter half of the film that felt cartoonish and ultimately undermined what could have been a great story if it remained serious throughout.

Even the ending! The final showdown was lackluster. I expected more, and then once again, the film asks us to believe Cruella is suddenly a master skydiver or something. Uh, what??!

So I give this film a 6 because of the performances from Stone and Thompson, the costumes, music and cinematography. Everything was good expect for some really silly story decisions that I just can't overlook. The writers are asking too much from the audience. The serious tone of the film is overshadowed by those lazy decisions.

Maybe some of you will enjoy it more than I did. There are things to be liked...just not everything.