Quick Reviews: Hounded and Demonic Christmas Tree.

After being hired to rob a stately home, a group of friends is caught by the homeowners and hunted across the estate. To survive the homeowners’ sick brand of entertainment, the group must band together and fight for survival.

Hounded (or The Hunt) is if you took The Hunt (2020) and somehow made an even worse version of it, the movie suffers from almost the exact same problems. From very poor development of why idea of the movie is actually happening, to the very weak writing that really doesn’t explore the surroundings of the main characters or even the characters themselves. There’s actually some surprisingly decent kills here that for what the movie had to work with is actually quite impressive, the setting is actually beautiful and actually fits the movie pretty well. The issue is the movie doesn’t do a whole lot with it, at least The Hunt used it’s setting in some effective ways (although there were very few moments) here it just doesn’t happen unfortunately. There’s great ideas here they just aren’t fully realized.

Hounded is available on all VOD platforms.

3/10 D-

On Christmas Eve, a scorn widow casts an ancient spell to resurrect her executed husband. However, when the spell goes wrong, the husband is brought back as an evil Christmas tree. Hell-bent on getting revenge on the one who caused his execution, the body count keeps rising as the tree hunts her down. Can anyone stop this killer Christmas tree before he gets to his target?

One type of small genre of films that I have a soft spot for are killer inanimate objects, or people and things that wouldn’t normally kill people but they for some reason do in the movie (Zombie Cats From Mara, Thankskilling, Santa’s Slay) these types of movies tend to be a lot of fun and go on to be some bad they are hilarious movies. But like every genre not every single one of these movies is successful and that’s the case with The Killing Tree or The Demonic Christmas Tree. Like with some movies in this genre it doesn’t fully take advantage of the absurd nature of the idea of a killer Christmas tree, instead it mostly goes over the characters and their past which really doesn’t help since the characters are about as interesting as cardboard cutouts. The biggest problem with this movie is it’s just not funny, outside of maybe one or two jokes the movie again doesn’t take advantage of the premise. The kills are about what you expect but are yet the best part of the movie, it’s a shame because this idea could work but instead it’s just largely forgettable and executed in the most dull way possible.

The Killing Tree or Demonic Christmas Tree releases tomorrow on all VOD platforms.

1/10 F

Tahara is a very raw film filled with personal conversations.

Two best friends attend the funeral of a Hebrew school classmate who died by suicide and accidentally damage their friendship beyond repair.

Tahara is only 78 minutes long but it does quite a lot in that amount of time, immediately this film sets up a compelling aspect ratio that really makes the film standout, plus we have the characters Hannah Rosen (Rachel Sennott) and Carrie Lowstein (Madeline Grey DeFreece) both of which almost immediately come off as very real people due to the performances from Sennott and DeFreece both of which are raw and very touching, there’s so much passion and talent put into their respective roles that it almost feels like you are actually there with them. The up close and personal camera shots also add to the character’s many several conversations they have with one another, a certain type of genre (if that’s the right word) of film that I truly love is a film that mostly focuses two or more characters having personal conversations with one another, while there are other scenes of the two main characters having conversations with the other characters that isn’t the main focus. The main focus is Hannah and Carrie who like I said before feel like very real people, they have emotions that are complicated as well goals and their own personalities. The direction from Olivia Peace is truly spectacular, she makes it as raw as possible as well as putting so much atmosphere in the film that it just pops out. Tahara is a film I highly recommend giving a watch!

Tahara is available on all VOD platforms.

10/10 A+

Halloween Ends a solid wrap up to the David Gordon Green Trilogy.

Four years after her last encounter with masked killer Michael Myers, Laurie Strode is living with her granddaughter and trying to finish her memoir. Myers hasn’t been seen since, and Laurie finally decides to liberate herself from rage and fear and embrace life. However, when a young man stands accused of murdering a boy that he was babysitting, it ignites a cascade of violence and terror that forces Laurie to confront the evil she can’t control.

Halloween Ends is the final of the David Gordon Green trilogy of Halloween movies and the thirteenth film overall of the franchise, I will start out by saying that Halloween Ends is not going to be for everyone. It’s a very different film that doesn’t completely focus on being a full on slasher film as it does with the concept of evil and how it goes from person to person, there’s also the theme of the people of Haddonfield suffering as well. Jamie Lee Curtis and Andi Matichak are both fantastic here, they really give it their all and truly give some worthy performances of closing out the trilogy. The kills are of course quite great some of which being some pretty brutal ones that really capture the atmosphere of the film quite well, Corey Cunningham is a pretty interesting character that the film focuses on and the evil that is trying to take him, while the concept itself does have some weak moments as there are some script issues. The concept itself for the most part is pretty well done and actually captures the dark atmosphere the film has, there’s a lot more character moments in Halloween Ends than a lot of the other movies which is actually a breath of fresh air. The final moments of the film is a very strong wrap up to the trilogy and really captures the suffering of Haddonfield coming to end very well, overall Halloween Ends is a very different approach to the series and is a really strong one!

Halloween Ends is available in theaters and on Peacock!

8/10 B+

Till is a bold and powerful film.

The true story of Mamie Till-Mobley’s relentless pursuit of justice for her 14-year-old son, Emmett Till, who was brutally lynched in 1955 while visiting his cousins in Mississippi.

One of the hardest topics of trying to make into a film are sensitive and brutal murders, that is very much the case with the lynching of Emmett Till. A 14 year old boy who’s life was taken in 1955, Till serves as Mamie Till’s POV and the actions she took after learning her son was lynched. Right off the bat this film establishes that it’s going to be a powerhouse film especially when it comes to performances, but the one that truly stands out is Danielle Deadwyler who gives one of the best performances so far this year and truly puts her heart and soul into this performance. She effortlessly connects to Mamie Till and really captures her actions, her emotions and her pain…the pain of finding out her son was lynched. The scene of her learning about her son is truly some of the most heartbreaking moments I’ve seen in a film this year, the viewer truly feels Mamie’s pain and really brings you to tears. Till isn’t afraid to shy away from being disturbing, there’s definitely some moments that are bit hard to watch. But are absolutely necessary to fully understand how disgusting this crime was and really shows how this case really got the attention of many many people, perhaps one of my absolute favorite parts about this film and why it succeeds is how respectful and how its handled with so much care. Director Chinonye Chukwu has shown before that she can handle sensitive material with her pervious film Clemency (highly underrated if you haven’t already check that one out) and does that here once again with Till. Till is carefully filmed, shows the several emotions that Mamie Till and the rest of Emmett Till’s family and it shows the parts that will make the viewer get angry. It’s a very honest film that Chukwu did such an incredible job with and really showed the length and the many parts of Mamie Till. I highly recommend checking this one out.

Till is available in theaters.

9/10 A

Clerks III a surprisingly heartfelt film.

After suffering a massive heart attack, Randal enlists friends and fellow clerks Dante, Elias, Jay and Silent Bob to help him make a movie about life at the Quick Stop.

Clerks III starts with what is quite possibly one of my favorite film openings of the year, the first five minutes is My Chemical Romance’s Welcome To The Black Parade. I could go on forever how this opening really sums up of what ends up happening throughout the film, but in short it‘s old times being becoming new again, the shop is back, the characters we have grown to love over the years in these movies are dancing around having a grand old time. Plus you have a few callbacks to the other movies as well that are truly great, after that we are treated to a surprisingly emotional film…which is something I completely did not expect at all. Clerks III is surprisingly very heartfelt especially with the final act that really tugs at your heartstrings, there’s of course the humor that works quite well not every joke lands of course. However most of the jokes are pretty cleverly written and really entertain the viewer which is something Kevin Smith has always been good at despite what you think of his films. He’s always been good at entertaining an audience and here is no exception, there’s a surprising amount of character moments where they talk about the old times and think about the future, not letting go of the old times and wanting to continue them. It’s actually something that can be very relatable to the viewer and could easily hit said viewer hard, there’s a genuine amount of heart put into the film that you can’t help but smile at. This is one to definitely check out!

Clerks III is available on all VOD platforms.

9/10 A

Stars At Noon is an atmospheric film with a stunning performance from Margaret Qualley

A young American journalist stranded in present-day Nicaragua seduces an enigmatic Englishman who seems like her best chance of escape. She soon realizes, though, that their torrid affair has only put her in more danger.

Not entirely sure if everything completely works in Claire Denis’s second film this year Stars At Noon but there is still quite a lot to really like. Claire Denis does a fantastic job with her direction and immediately sets up a very strong atmosphere that instantly connects to the setting of the film, there is this sort of mood to the film that is both atmospheric and very relaxed. It’s sort of hard to describe if you haven’t seen it but it really captures the setting in such an interesting way. Margaret Qualley once again show’s how incredible she is as an actress, she gives such a tremendous performance that really highlights how powerful her screen presence really is, this is a performance that is sadly going to go unnoticed but it’s truly a powerful performance that really builds the film. The 2 hour and 15 minute running time is a bit much as the movie does take some time to get going, but gets more and more interesting as it goes on. Lastly there’s the cinematography that is truly beautiful and is shot in a almost personal like manner that leads to some very captivating shots and moments. Stars At Noon is not going to be for everyone but I do recommend checking this one out!

Stars At Noon is available on all VOD platforms.

8/10 B+

V/H/S/99 is yet another incredibly solid installment in the series.

V/H/S/99 harkens back to the final punk rock analog days of VHS, while taking one giant leap forward into the hellish new millennium. In V/H/S/99, a thirsty teenager’s home video leads to a series of horrifying revelations.

V/H/S/99 is the fifth entry in the V/H/S series, this is a series that I often look forward to especially with it’s incredibly strong return from last year. There’s 5 segments here and I’ll talk a bit about each of them, it’s worth noting that this time around there isn’t an overarching frame narrative in between the shorts. Instead it’s some bits with toy soldiers that in a later short are used, the toy soldier bits are just sort of whatever. They are fun for the most part but really aren’t anything to write home about.

Shredding directed by Maggie Levin is the first short and a pretty decent way to start off the movie, it’s a simple premise of a punk rock group who pull pranks break into a venue and are attacked by zombies. The gore is really great, the atmosphere is quite effective and the pacing is very well done, the segment doesn’t overstay it’s welcome and knows what it is trying to accomplish.

Suicide Bid is directed by Johannes Roberts (47 Meters Down and its sequel, The Strangers Prey At Night, Resident Evil: Welcome To Raccoon City). The premise is once again pretty simple a college freshman named Lily wants to be part of a Beta Sigma Eta so she has to be part of a ritual where she’s buried underground in a coffin for a night. The first half of the segment is really strong, there’s a great sense of claustrophobia when we see the scenes of Lily trapped in the coffin and it’s quite effective. It’s what happens afterwards that’s on the weak side, the revenge against the Sigma Eta sisters is way too rushed I get that it’s a segment but everything goes by so quickly giving little time for the viewer to breathe. However I don’t think it’s a bad short, the pacing is just a bit too fast.

Ozzy’s Dungeon directed by Flying Lotus is the standout segment of the film, it’s an insanely weird segment that really goes all out and isn’t afraid to hold back. The premise centers around a children’s game show called Ozzy’s Dungeon where kids compete against each other in physical challenges whoever wins gets a wish granted, the segment starts out straightforward enough the second half reaches a revenge aspect to it that’s quite gory and reaches a disturbing atmosphere that is truly effective. The acting is pretty fun and the found footage element is truly the most effective here, combine that with the dark humor and you have yourself a really satisfying short.

The Gawkers directed by Tyler Maclntyre (Tragedy Girls) is the weakest segment of the movie, it’s a bunch of teenagers who try to get this girl’s attention and the girl isn’t who they thought she was. It’s a lot like Amateur Night which was a segment in the first V/H/S. Only that it’s much slower paced and just not nearly entertaining or well written, the humor isn’t funny and the characters are completely flat.

To Hell And Back directed by Vanessa & Joseph Winter (Deadstream) is the final segment and a pretty solid way to close the movie, the premise is two best friends are hired to film witches performing a ritual. The ritual goes haywire and the two friends are sent to hell now they have to find their way out. There’s some really great gore here and the pacing is quite well done with a great atmosphere and creature designs, it’s an entertaining short that like many of the others doesn’t overstay it’s welcome.

Overall V/H/S/99 is a solid addition to the series, outside of a few hiccup moments the film brings what’s come to be expected from the series. Another sequel V/H/S has been announced to release next year!

V/H/S/99 is available on Shudder.

8/10 B+

Significant Other falls short with it’s interesting ideas.

Sinister events plague a young couple when they take a backpacking trip through the forests of the Pacific Northwest.

Significant Other is one of those movies that has the right ingredients to make a really interesting little movie, but only meets at the halfway point. Maika Monroe gives a strong performance here, she really turns what would otherwise be a lot of dull moments into something truly interesting. The atmosphere is definitely there as well, the movie quickly establishes a thrilling and haunting atmosphere that works for quite awhile until the movie starts to become a bit too goofy. Especially during the third act where the twist while I can see what they were going for, doesn’t quite stick it’s landing. It’s a bit too goofy and takes away from the atmosphere that made the movie pretty thrilling, there’s a few decent character moments here that really work and the setting combined with the atmosphere works well. The movie itself just doesn’t fully come together in the end.

Significant Other is available on Paramount+

5/10 C

Medieval is dull and forgettable.

As feuding brothers battle for control of the throne, daring and righteous mercenary leader Jan Žižka embarks on a mission to kidnap Lady Katherine, the fiancee of a powerful lord. As Katherine becomes caught in a dangerous political game between monarchs, Jan falls in love with her strong spirit and dedication to saving the people. In a brave attempt to liberate her, he fights back with a rebel army, battling the corruption, greed and betrayal that runs rampant among those clawing for power.

Medieval can be pretty much summed up with the creative process that went into the title of the movie. Dull, uninteresting and is no different from other movies within the genre, outside of a few admittedly pretty neat kills and the acting that has it’s moments. There’s truly nothing new at all here, a lot of it just feels like a giant checklist that they made sure to accomplish while filming, but completely forgot to make the movie investing. The movie is actually based off of a true story, the story of Jan Žižka a Czech mercenary from the end of the 14th century. This should have been something rather simple to turn into a film but for whatever reason it didn’t happen here. Ben Foster is definitely the standout but that’s really not saying much when even he couldn’t entirely save it. It also doesn’t help that the pacing is atrocious with a 126 minute running time that you quickly start to feel.

Medieval is available on all VOD platforms.

3/10 D-

Black Adam comic book movie fatigue at it’s worst.

In ancient Kahndaq, Teth Adam was bestowed the almighty powers of the gods. After using these powers for vengeance, he was imprisoned, becoming Black Adam. Nearly 5,000 years have passed, and Black Adam has gone from man to myth to legend. Now free, his unique form of justice, born out of rage, is challenged by modern-day heroes who form the Justice Society: Hawkman, Dr. Fate, Atom Smasher and Cyclone.

Black Adam is a prime example of what people mean when they say they are having comic book movie fatigue, it’s a genre that’s been very successful over the last several years. The problem is a lot of studios see this as a money making opportunity rather than making good quality films. That’s where Black Adam comes in, while there are a few things to praise such as some of the action scenes actually being well done and the performances from Pierce Brosnan and Aidis Hodge who really do the best they can with such a limited script. Everything else is beat by beat comic book movie genre plot points, the ideas of Black Adam are interesting and does seem like the movie wanted to tackle more of the anti-hero parts of Black Adam but for whatever reason held back and actually felt very watered down. The characters are completely one note and if you were to take some of them out of the movie nothing would change, like the ideas of the movie I like the concept of the characters it’s just a shame we never get to learn about them. Cyclone (played by Quintessa Swindell) and Atom Smasher (played by Noah Centineo) seem like neat characters but they mostly just serve to be part of a team in this case “The Justice Society”. Doctor Fate (Brosnan) and Hawkman (Hodge) get a bit more development but not by much, it does seem like the movie was trying to explore more with their characters but halfway through just said “screw it”. Dwayne Johnson gives a fine enough performance as Black Adam, it’s truly nothing special as it is what you expect it to be, the villain is easily one of the most forgettable villains in these comic book movies and that’s truly saying something given how many forgettable villains have shown up in the last few years. Ishmael Gregor who becomes Sabbac (played by Marwan Kenzari) has no personality outside of being evil and wanting to destroy everything, finally there’s the writing that really just can be summed up by saying it’s been done better before. There’s such a lack of trying to go more than surface level with the movie’s ideas which in the end truly hurts the movie, it’s a shame because Jaume Collet-Serra is actually a very solid director who’s done some great work in the past such as The Shallows, House Of Wax (2005) Orphan and Run All Night. I’m sure this isn’t going to be the end for Black Adam and maybe in the future the character as well as the other characters will get far more development because this movie really didn’t do much.

Black Adam is currently in theaters.

4/10 D+