The Well (2024) Film Review

A budding art restorer travels to a small Italian village to bring a medieval painting back to its former glory. Little does she know she is placing her life in danger from an evil curse and a monster born of myth and brutal pain.

The Well is directed by Frederico Zampaglione director of A Dream House Nightmare (2007), Shadow (2009), Tulpa: Demon Of Desire (2012) and Morrison (2021)

Italian horror tends to be quite fun and interesting so I wanted to check this one out and unfortunately this was a bit of a disappointment. While the movie does have its moments and hints at something interesting. A lot of this movie is gratuitous violence, even if the practical effects are immediately really cool it starts to become way too much very quickly. Especially since it really doesn’t end up having anything to say or having a point to it at all.

Lauren LaVera is great here, ever since her performance in Terrifier 2 (2022) I’ve been really excited to see what she’s going to do next and admittedly she is the biggest reason why I checked this one out, she gives a decent enough performance that does make some scenes much more tolerable. The previously mentioned practical effects are great and I do admire the hard work that was clearly put into them, it’s just such a shame the movie goes way too over the top way too quickly with them.

I like a good disturbing film, I’ve mentioned that several times in my reviews. What I don’t like is a movie trying way too hard to be disturbing and that’s sadly the case here, The Well really tries to do a lot of what Eli Roth did with Hostel (2005) (a movie which I also did not like) but where as Hostel (2005) had some sort of goal and purpose in it’s depiction of violence. The Well is just mindless gore that tries to be disturbing and actually does the direct opposite of what it’s attempting to do, rather than disturb the viewer it sort of makes the viewer shrug their shoulders.

I also think the whole villains having mental disorders and making them as gross as possible cliche was incredibly not needed, I’m obviously not trying to say what a director can or can’t put into their film. I believe everyone should be allowed to share their art, it’s just especially used incredibly badly here once and another case of this movie just randomly having something there without any purpose.

It’s a shame because there are makings of a good movie here, Lauren LaVera, the practical effects, the filming actually has some decent shots and the story is kind of interesting. It’s just a shame they went with something that’s shocking for the sake of being shocking.

The Well releases September 3rd on all VOD platforms.

3/10 D-

Quick Review: Fly Me To The Moon (2024) Film Review

Sparks fly between a marketing executive and a NASA official as he makes preparations for the Apollo 11 moon landing.

Fly Me To The Moon is directed by Greg Berlanti director of The Broken Hearts Club (2000), Life as We Know It (2010) and Love Simon (2018).

Definitely not as bad as I anticipated but still very forgettable and ends up not really amounting to all that much, it’s sort of a shame because I do think at least half of this movie is pretty alright. When it focuses on the space stuff it’s pretty decent, when it focuses on the romance it’s about as bland as you can really get with a romantic comedy.

Channing Tatum and Scarlett Johansson are both great here, both incredibly charming and have the charisma to back it up. The chemistry can be a little mixed at times due to movie switching back and forth between drama and romance. However the two for the most part are able to adapt to the switch in tone which is mainly thanks to the two’s star power.

The biggest problems with Fly Me To The Moon is the previously mentioned switching back and forth in tone and the pacing, the rest of the movie is unfortunately not able to adapt well to the tone switching which leads to a lot very messy scenes that just don’t grab the viewer’s attention. The running time being 132 minutes long is incredibly ridiculous and could have easily been trimmed down into a 90 or so minute movie that would not have over stayed it’s welcome.

Overall there isn’t much to be said about Fly Me To The Moon, there’s a decent amount to like and maybe you will walk away getting something out of it. But unfortunately this one is a bit too much on the forgettable side to recommend.

Fly Me To The Moon is available on all VOD platforms.

5/10 C

The Union (2024) Film Review

Mike, a down-to-earth construction worker, is thrust into the world of super spies and secret agents when his high school sweetheart, Roxanne, recruits him on a high-stakes US intelligence mission.

The Union is directed by Julian Farino director of The Last Yellow (1999) and The Oranges (2011).

I’m not sure whether it was intentional or accidental but releasing three action comedy films that went on three different streaming services so closely together was an incredibly bad idea. The Instigators, Jackpot and now The Union, everything I said about the former two movies can be applied to The Union.

The only real positive here is Halle Berry who tries her absolute best with the script she’s given, but unfortunately her performance can only do so much as the rest of the movie is so incredibly dull that it makes watching grass grow look more investing. Mark Wahlberg has no chemistry with Halle Berry, the movie tried but completely fails due to just how dull Wahlberg’s performance is here. At this point in his career Wahlberg is turning in performances that are very identical to each other that you could be forgiven if you mixed up his roles and that’s very much the case here in this movie.

As far as the plot goes it’s a very typical spy action movie that is filled to the brim with cliches, it leans towards comedy for the first 20 minutes or so before giving up on that entirely and settling with a painfully cliched filled spy action movie. Everything that’s done here you have seen one hundred times elsewhere, none of the characters are interesting and the plot itself is lacking in so much substance.

I’m not entirely sure what else you say here except that The Union is this week’s “you will forget about it by Monday morning” type of movie.

The Union is available on Netflix.

3/10 D-

The Bikeriders (2024) Film Review

Over the course of a decade, a Midwestern motorcycle club evolves from a gathering place for local outsiders to a sinister gang, threatening the original group’s way of life.

The Bikeriders is directed by Jeff Nichols director of Shotgun Stories (2007), Take Shelter (2011), Mud (2012), Midnight Special (2016) and Loving (2016).

Jeff Nichols has always been a really strong director, his films being characterized by their Southern United States backdrop really helps the films standout and he always does such a fascinating job with his films. The Bikeriders once again shows Nichols hitting the ball out of the park, as there is a lot of themes going on here that you quite honestly would not expect.

As always performances first, everyone here does a fantastic job when it comes to accents everyone nailed it and help gives the film a much more grounded feel. Jodie Comer, Tom Hardy and Austin Butler are the three standouts however and really make this film work, from the interactions between one another, to their actions and how they affect the story being told is truly fascinating. Jodie Comer continues to show she is one of the best actresses right now, her performance has this beauty to it that really ties into the film’s themes. Having the film’s themes being about toxic masculinity, male friendships and why they are important plus belonging to a world and morality while having Comer tell the story from her perspective is incredibly clever and actually refreshing.

Tom Hardy and Austin Butler as I said before give phenomenal performances much like Comer they both show they are some of the best working today, they absolutely nail the dialogue they are given and just go all out with their performances. They have beauty and so much care in their performances that compliment the film and its themes incredibly well, combined together Butler, Comer and Hardy really make this a showcase of talent and instantly grabs the viewer’s attention never letting go.

The beautiful cinematography combined with the locations Cincinnati, Ohio and other areas of Ohio and Kentucky are absolutely gorgeous and really tell the story on their own. Just looking at some of the frames of the film such as Austin Butler and Jodie Comer just sitting down while the sun goes down tells you so much about the scene in question, it’s the very definition of attention to detail that really is pleasing to the eye.

The authenticity of the world is also quite fascinating as well, the film itself is a fictional version of the Outlaws Motorcycle Club which you could very well walk away from this film thinking that the film was real. Because this is a prime example of a film that not only is written naturally but it also is made like it’s very convincing. It goes for that depicting the lives of a certain group of people in this case being the Vandals Motorcycle Club, which I’ve said before in other reviews how much I love when films do this and this film is no exception. Very well written and detailed we get to learn about the characters, what their thoughts are during certain conversations, their personalities and so much more. It’s an incredibly investing film that really connects you with these characters!

Overall The Bikeriders is fantastic, it’s definitely one of the best films of the year and is a really beautiful film especially on the inside.

The Bikeriders is available on all VOD Platforms.

9/10 A

Jackpot (2024) Film Review

In the near future, a ‘Grand Lottery’ has been newly established in California – the catch: kill the winner before sundown to legally claim their multi-billion dollar jackpot.

Jackpot is directed by Paul Feig director of Bridesmaids (2011), The Heat (2013), Spy (2015), Ghostbusters (2016), A Simple Favor (2018), Last Christmas (2019) and a few others.

Jackpot is basically a comedic version of The Purge franchise an interesting idea for sure and it’s executed fine enough but there’s really nothing incredibly strong going on here.

John Cena is the one who’s carrying this movie and manages to push it to the finish line, while not every joke lands a lot of the humor from him is quite decent. None of the jokes are anything you are going to be quoting with your friends but at the very least he manages to make it fun for the most part. Awkwafina is actually not bad here, this is the first time in awhile where I haven’t felt incredibly annoyed by her character or her playing herself. Granted at times she does slip and feels like she’s playing the same type of role again, but for the most part she does a decent job. She actually has solid chemistry with John Cena which is what I think really benefited her this time around.

The concept itself is pretty fun, there’s definitely some shining moments that show a lot of potential, but unfortunately the movie doesn’t really have the spark it needs to make this a really fun ride. The writing is what hurts this movie the most, the last half of the movie turns into your very typical action comedy that really does not do anything for the genre. It’s like they had a really good idea going with the first half of the movie and then did not know how to finish the movie so they threw anything at the wall to see what sticks.

Overall there really isn’t much more to be said, Jackpot isn’t a bad movie as it definitely has its moments and the acting is actually not bad here. The movie itself is just a very below average action comedy, that will entertain you for a little bit before being quickly forgotten about.

Jackpot is available on Amazon Prime Video.

5/10 C

Ghostlight (2024) Film Review

When a construction worker joins a local theatre’s production of “Romeo and Juliet,” the drama onstage starts to mirror his own life.

Ghostlight is directed by Kelly O’Sullivan and Alex Thompson, the film being the O’Sullivan’s directorial debut and Thompsons third film. Thompson previously directed Saint Frances (2019) and Rounding (2022).

If there’s one film from this year thus far that should be talked about far more it would be Ghostlight, a story about healing through the power of art and theater.

To start out with the performances are some of the best of the year Dolly de Leon, Katherine Mallen Kupferer and Tara Mallen are absolutely incredible here, each of them bringing heart to the film in their own ways. But the one who absolutely steals the show is the film’s lead Keith Kupferer who plays Dan Mueller a man who is trying to heal after his son Brian died by suicide. Kupferer playing a grieving father who ends up joining an upcoming production of Romeo and Juliet is truly fascinating to watch. The way the film carefully writes Dan Mueller as a character and makes his pain as raw as natural quickly gets to the viewer, there’s love, passion and heart put into it all. Kupferer’s performance is so incredibly touching that brings so much beauty, honesty and brings this beautiful atmosphere to the film.

The film itself is of course very sad, but it also serves as a healing journey one that we often times make in situations such as the death of a loved one. It’s something that we as humans go through and it’s so perfectly portrayed here, that it almost feels like you are right there watching Mueller’s journey. There’s so many incredibly touching moments throughout that quickly grab at your heartstrings, as I said earlier the film uses art and theater as a way to show a path of healing. The film does this flawlessly, it shows how we can build a connection from art, how art can really help you move forward, how it can be so transformative and really help bring you on the path to healing.

Ghostlight is an incredibly likable film which is what it uses to connect to the viewer almost immediately, the film makes the story as grounded as possible with so much love put into the story. The characters are incredibly well written and have their own stories to tell, the film’s heartwarming messaging is something that really resonates with so many people and the overall film is just absolutely stunning in every single way possible.

Overall Ghostlight is one of the best films of the year, it’s incredibly touching and a powerful film that I really hope more people check out.

Ghostlight is available on all VOD platforms.

10/10 A+

The People’s Joker (2024) Film Reviews

A law-breaking comedian who is grappling with her gender identity forms a new anti-comedy troupe with a friend and finds herself battling a fascistic caped crusader.

The People’s Joker is directed by Vera Drew which is her directorial debut.

The People’s Joker has been on my radar for awhile, ever since the planned screenings at the 2022 Toronto Film Festival were cancelled due to “rights issues.” Luckily the film got officially released this year and it’s quite a fun ride! While yes The People’s Joker is a parody of Joker (2019) and other DC films such as Suicide Squad (2016) it’s much more than that it’s a personal coming out and coming of age story that quite clearly is personal to Vera Drew.

The performances are so much fun, everyone involved just seems like they are having a blast and that really reflects with the film’s charm. Vera Drew in particular who plays Joker the Harlequin is such a blast to watch, she absolutely knows how to quickly draw the viewer’s attention and has some really strong screen presence. The conversations she has with the rest of the cast throughout the film are incredibly entertaining and filled with all sorts of hilarious jokes that make this film’s comedic moments standout that much more.

The film is low budget but has this style to it that absolutely works, it’s like if you took the energy and atmosphere of an Adult Swim (a late night block on Cartoon Network) commercial or even show and mixed it with a bit of Sin City (2005). You get some quite out there results which is so much fun and the entertainment is through the roof, the look of the film will not be for everyone and I can completely see why. But there’s this certain level of charm that really works here that I really just can’t help but love.

As I said earlier Vera Drew is also a coming out and coming of age story that’s very personal to her, she does an incredibly job of fitting her story into the plot of Joker (2019) we get bits a pieces about her discovering who she is throughout the film and it’s quite touching, Drew also does a really great job of moving the story along at a nice and steady pace. She focuses on bringing the viewer along for the ride while also throwing in some bizarre moments that are the definition of fun.

Overall The People’s Joker is absolutely going to go on to be a midnight film. It’s a super entertaining ride that I’m really happy Vera Drew took everyone on.

The People’s Joker is available on all VOD platforms.

9/10 A

The Devil’s Bath (2024) Film Review

1750. Agnes doesn’t feel at home in her husband’s world. A shocking act seems to be the only way out. A profound and disturbing psychogram of a woman, based on historical records.

The Devil’s Bath is directed by Veronika Franz and Severin Fiala who both directed Goodnight Mommy (2014) and The Lodge (2019).

I must say I am really liking what Veronika Franz and Serverin Fiala are bringing to the table when it comes to the horror genre. Although I found The Devil’s Bath to be their weakest outing thus far, that really does not matter at all because this is still an incredibly strong film.

The film is quite bleak and you feel that almost immediately during the film’s first moments. It’s heavily felt through the characters and the incredibly detailed depiction of the 1700s, the way the film goes about depicting the 1700s, the setting and characters make it very authentic in a very dark way that quickly gets to the viewer. The acting is really strong here as well, Anja Plaschg gives a haunting performance especially towards the later half of the film.

Throughout the film there’s a dark cloud looming over the film, it’s slowly but surely felt over the course of the film. Once a particular scene involving a neck appears (which is quite hard to watch) the film’s much darker elements show up, it turns into a completely different beast and goes all out as much as it can until the film is over.

The Devil’s Bath is a very slow film it’s probably what you think of when you hear the term “slow burn horror films” but much like other slow burn horror films it rewards the viewer’s patience quite well and delivers many striking scenes that will leave fans of the genre incredibly satisfied.

Overall The Devil’s Bath is another really solid horror film from Franz and Fiala, it’s a bleak film that really masters its atmosphere and character work. Check this one out.

The Devil’s Bath is available on Shudder

8/10 B+

Satranic Panic (2024) Film Review

After the brutal murder of their friend by a demonic cult, Jay and Aria travel through the outback to avenge Max and kill the evil behind his death.

Satranic Panic is directed by Alice Maio Mackay who previously directed So Vam (2021), Bad Girl Boogey (2022) and T Blockers (2023).

Something that I have said in a lot of reviews is that I love when you can tell that the cast had a blast making the film. That’s absolutely the case here with Satranic Panic, I haven’t seen any of Mackay’s previous work (I’ll be sure to fix that soon) but I’m quite impressed with what was delivered here.

Satranic Panic is a film that is not afraid to be as bizarre as it can and I can’t help but respect the film for it, it has the classic low budget feel but you can tell almost immediately everyone is putting their heart into this film. The performances from Cassie Hamilton and Zarif in particular show this in the best way possible, their characters are a joy to watch just interacting with everyone especially during the road trip comedy sections of the film. Cassie Hamilton and Zarif play off of each other incredibly well and deliver some genuinely hilarious moments that make you quickly grow attached to their characters.

The gore is quite well done and heavily reminds me of the classic Troma Entertainment films especially with the atmosphere which is off the walls insanity I couldn’t help but laugh. Finally there’s the musical numbers which are incredibly well done, Cassie Hamilton has such a gorgeous voice that really brings it all together, there’s three music numbers in total (my personal favorite being the second one!) they all tie into the story quite well and the last music number wraps up the story very nicely.

I do have to admire Alice Maio Mackay here she’s only 19 years old and already has four films under her belt, while yes they are low budget. Making a film especially at the age of 19 is incredibly difficult, it’s incredibly fun to see people make art and I feel like that’s what I took away from this film. It has much love, heart and joy poured into it that I can’t help but love it for that.

Overall Satranic Panic is a blast of fun, has solid gore, great and fun characters and a bizarre story that you will be invested in from beginning to end!

Satranic Panic is available on all VOD platforms.

8/10 B+

Watchmen: Chapter 1 (2024) Film Review

In an alternate world, the murder of a government sponsored superhero draws his outlawed colleagues out of retirement, into a mystery that threatens their lives and the world itself.

Watchmen: Chapter 1 is directed by Brandon Vietti director of Superman: Doomsday (2007), Batman: Under the Red Hood (2010), Scooby-Doo! Wrestlemania Mystery (2014) and Batman: Death in the Family (2020).

Not a real lot to say here, Watchmen: Chapter 1 is a very competent adaption to the comics. What the movie has going for it is mostly the animation which really fits for Watchmen there are some quite beautiful moments that really do bring this story to life and it’s incredibly nice to see this story being told with this animation. It keeps things a bit fresh since we have already seen Watchmen be done before twice now in live action.

Having that said the movie itself when it comes to the writing is just fine, there really isn’t anything here mind blowing. It’s a very basic retelling of the story that fans know and love, for newcomers this isn’t necessarily a bad way to have your first exposure to Watchmen in fact I would go as far as to say that it’s actually a solid way. It’s short, simple and doesn’t complicate things at all.

Some of the action scenes are a bit off and the movie does have it’s hiccups with some of the animation at certain points, but for the most part the movie does a good job and works with what’s given. The voice cast does a decent job and the pacing is just right, the movie is a very quick 83 minutes long and wraps up as much as it needs to.

Having that said this is chapter 1 of a two chapter story (Chapter 2 coming next year). So we don’t quite have the full picture as of yet, but for now it’s decent enough!

Watchmen: Chapter 1 is available on all VOD platforms.

6/10 C+