Horror Movies

[Sparhawk]

@returnofjakedog I'll have to check out Malevolent... but wanted to ask you, did you see The Menu? Wanted to get your thoughts on that.. I was kind of disappointed by it.. it was okay, but very 'meh' at the same time.

I just watched The Menu.
Lot of potential. I thought it built up a good 2/3 of the way through and then it fell flat for me.

 

[Sharkonabicycle]

I just watched The Menu.
Lot of potential. I thought it built up a good 2/3 of the way through and then it fell flat for me.

Felt the exact same way...

 

[MilkSpiller22]

I just watched The Menu.
Lot of potential. I thought it built up a good 2/3 of the way through and then it fell flat for me.

i think the "problem" with it was that it was NOT a horror... it was a satire...

if it was a horror, they could have done so much more... and even explain the cult better...

but as a satire, it took the path it needed to go... I enjoyed it...

 

[returnofjakedog]

@returnofjakedog I'll have to check out Malevolent... but wanted to ask you, did you see The Menu? Wanted to get your thoughts on that.. I was kind of disappointed by it.. it was okay, but very 'meh' at the same time.

I just watched The Menu.
Lot of potential. I thought it built up a good 2/3 of the way through and then it fell flat for me.

Not seen it yet. I don't have HBO Max, and I tend to wait a few months until stuff streams for free somewhere.

Bummer that it apparently isn't up to the high expectations. Ralph Fiennes is one of my fav actors ever since I saw Strange Days.

 

[returnofjakedog]

RiP Bill Paxton!

 

[Sparhawk]

i think the "problem" with it was that it was NOT a horror... it was a satire...

if it was a horror, they could have done so much more... and even explain the cult better...

but as a satire, it took the path it needed to go... I enjoyed it...

I didn't know if it was a horror movie or not.
I just knew that some folks were calling it quirky or dark macabre, which interested me.
For 2/3 of that movie, I was dialed in.

Then there was a fight scene and they kind of lost me there.
After that, it was just like, oh, ok, they're going in that direction.

I'd give it a 6/10, but I honestly felt like there was much more potential there.

 

[Sparhawk]

Not seen it yet. I don't have HBO Max, and I tend to wait a few months until stuff streams for free somewhere.

Bummer that it apparently isn't up to the high expectations. Ralph Fiennes is one of my fav actors ever since I saw Strange Days.

You're mileage may vary.
Definitely check it out.

I kind of felt the same way about Smile.
Great 2/3 start.
Just didn't finish well for me.

 

[MilkSpiller22]

You're mileage may vary.
Definitely check it out.

I kind of felt the same way about Smile.
Great 2/3 start.
Just didn't finish well for me.

funny you say that... Smile would have probably worked better without the monster at the end... and just kept it psychological instead of a curse...

the menu, would have probably worked better if it was a devil worshipping cult...

 

[Sparhawk]

funny you say that... Smile would have probably worked better without the monster at the end... and just kept it psychological instead of a curse...

the menu, would have probably worked better if it was a devil worshipping cult...

I agree with that. I needed more reasoning behind what chef was doing.

Don't get me wrong, I love an arbitrary ending that makes you think, but sometimes you just want a coherent story with some logic/plausibility.

I thought Barbarian did a good job with that.

 

[Sharkonabicycle]

Not seen it yet. I don't have HBO Max, and I tend to wait a few months until stuff streams for free somewhere.

Bummer that it apparently isn't up to the high expectations. Ralph Fiennes is one of my fav actors ever since I saw Strange Days.

Well because it's on HBO Max now means it's also on 'those sites' that deny Hollyweird their millions

Will be curious to get your thoughts when you finally watch it.

 

[returnofjakedog]

funny you say that... Smile would have probably worked better without the monster at the end... and just kept it psychological instead of a curse...

the menu, would have probably worked better if it was a devil worshipping cult...

I took Smile as the mental illness being THE "curse", and the creature being a representation of that and not existing in physical reality.
The creature itself is trauma. No one else can see it because it only exists in your mind, and it is passed from person to person based only on their own experiences (with part of those experiences being witnessing the suicides) and not a seperate "curse".

However I do understand people not liking the creature ending. They could have presented the same message without using it. But for me it was the overall message that hit the hardest and not the individual events. I found it a hard, sobering watch because of my own issues with trauma.

 

[MilkSpiller22]

I took Smile as the mental illness being THE "curse", and the creature being a representation of that and not existing in physical reality.
The creature itself is trauma. No one else can see it because it only exists in your mind, and it is passed from person to person based only on their own experiences (with part of those experiences being witnessing the suicides) and not a seperate "curse".

However I do understand people not liking the creature ending. They could have presented the same message without using it. But for me it was the overall message that hit the hardest and not the individual events. I found it a hard, sobering watch because of my own issues with trauma.

but that would mean the curse would end with her... they made it clear that the curse would live on... and survives until it can be passed on...

 

[Sharkonabicycle]

I took Smile as the mental illness being THE "curse", and the creature being a representation of that and not existing in physical reality.
The creature itself is trauma. No one else can see it because it only exists in your mind, and it is passed from person to person based only on their own experiences (with part of those experiences being witnessing the suicides) and not a seperate "curse".

However I do understand people not liking the creature ending. They could have presented the same message without using it. But for me it was the overall message that hit the hardest and not the individual events. I found it a hard, sobering watch because of my own issues with trauma.

I had just watched American Beauty before Smile and couldn't stop saying aloud (Thank God no one was watching it with me) "SMILE YOU'RE AT MR. SMILEYS!" every so often. I was in rare form and laughing super hard the whole movie so it took out basically all the suspense or 'scary moments'. I'll never be able to watch that movie for a second time with a straight face. It was OKAY so not a lot lost there.. I'd give it an IMDB 5-6 or so. Dunno why it got the hype it did.

 

[Sparhawk]

I took Smile as the mental illness being THE "curse", and the creature being a representation of that and not existing in physical reality.
The creature itself is trauma. No one else can see it because it only exists in your mind, and it is passed from person to person based only on their own experiences (with part of those experiences being witnessing the suicides) and not a seperate "curse".

However I do understand people not liking the creature ending. They could have presented the same message without using it. But for me it was the overall message that hit the hardest and not the individual events. I found it a hard, sobering watch because of my own issues with trauma.

I agree. The psychological horror of the movie was excellent.
The disturbing smile on each victim was excellent.

Seeing that terror physically manifest itself...... eh, not so much.

I would have liked to have spent more time on the professor and getting some exposition on what the creature was and how it's different for each person. Seems like a missed opportunity on the lore of the creature, but perhaps it was designed that way?

 

[returnofjakedog]

but that would mean the curse would end with her... they made it clear that the curse would live on... and survives until it can be passed on...

The ex-boyfriend cop watched her burn. He now has the "trauma curse".

 

[returnofjakedog]

I agree. The psychological horror of the movie was excellent.
The disturbing smile on each victim was excellent.

Seeing that terror physically manifest itself...... eh, not so much.

I would have liked to have spent more time on the professor and getting some exposition on what the creature was and how it's different for each person. Seems like a missed opportunity on the lore of the creature, but perhaps it was designed that way?

Smile 2 : Therapy

Lol! Hopefully not. It definitely should be a stand alone. But it made big bucks.......so??

It is interesting to me how she went into psychology as many people that do are dealing with shit and are trying to figure it out.
It definitely could have gone in the direction you mention. But they picked their path and that path seems to be where the audience split (except Shark who was picturing Kevin Spacey at the drive through window the whole time!)

 

[MilkSpiller22]

Smile 2 : Therapy

Lol! Hopefully not. It definitely should be a stand alone. But it made big bucks.......so??

It is interesting to me how she went into psychology as many people that do are dealing with shit and are trying to figure it out.
It definitely could have gone in the direction you mention. But they picked their path and that path seems to be where the audience split (except Shark who was picturing Kevin Spacey at the drive through window the whole time!)

smile 2- its time to frown

 

[returnofjakedog]

Death of Me (2020)-


An American couple, Maggie Q and Luke Hemsworth (the not hunky of the Hems-bros) vacationing in Thailand wake up in their room with no memories of the previous night. They find a video in which he breaks her neck and buries her (I'd say spoiler, but that is in the trailer), yet they are still there alive. They start investigating and remember being given drinks by the locals. Weird, creepy, nasty stuff constantly happens and nothing seems to make any sense. Eventually Maggie starts uncovering a plot being imposed on her........

This one is very much a Jacob's Ladder (the original, not the shitty remake) influenced story if you mixed it with a kinda Serpent and the Rainbow feel, and local witchery type themes. Unfortunately it is just kinda middle of the road.

It looks good. Cool locations. The 2 mains are decent, with Maggie being the main focus. There are some cool and kinda creepy fxs. But the story is confusing just for the purpose of being confusing, and it all leads to an unsatisfying climax.

Another middle of the road offering. 5ish outta 10 for me.

 

[Podunkparte]

Glad I waited for The Black Phone to be free on Amazon. That was pretty terrible.

The kid sucks, terrible acting, bad pacing... just not good.

 

[Sharkonabicycle]

Glad I waited for The Black Phone to be free on Amazon. That was pretty terrible.

The kid sucks, terrible acting, bad pacing... just not good.

I barely got through that movie and started skipping ahead... HIGHLY overrated IMO...