Unsettling aimlessness stylized in a kinetic way with a bombastic leave your brain at home conclusion I liked. The football and competitiveness themes are unique and it sometimes plays with horror tropes. There is a subtle element of mysticism where things seem unintuitive or off in ways that dont make sense except symbolically. The mead seema naively trusting in a way that doesnt always make sense. I'n not a sports fan and while the focus on perfection seems relatable all the football flag posts seen vapid distilling 'greatness' down to ego or throwing (maybe nicely contradictory). "Real killers don't give a f--k." The hallucinatory quality of thr film is nice but sometimes given the fleeting themes feels uncentered. It comes across as a film about the gloss and image of football rather than the true grit of development. Rhetoric like "surviving the death of who you used to be" comes across more pretentiously than insightful. Maybe this is all a comment if toxic competition that doesn't allow for vulnerable pain or imperfection but that spin feels like work from the viewer rather than earned by the film. It has a wonderful feel of an on rails descent into hell. I liked the flashy quick edits and loud sound and think the bombastic style was one of the best parts of an experience here. As a framework it's an interesting twist to the 'hero's journey' typicals. The gorey cartoonish end and a willingness to ditch it's premise for an artistic unexpected turn is brilliant.

Rewatched Weapons and might have enjoyed it more a second time. Having a child narrator look back 'two years later' is a smart little element that adds foreshadowing and optimism (it's ok in two years) before the weirdness. The kids unique spread arms running similarly balanced sly humor and eerieness. When I first saw Weapons I experienced it as an off pace horror movie but this time I caught more of the sly dark comedy. The commentary of blaming the school for kids disappearing from the home is the sort of stuff that makes it feel like it started out as one movie then evolved into the weird like nothing else pulpy ending. The comedic absence of parental responsibility is a rich theme in the film and somehow it pulls off some far out stuff while still seeming tense and grounded. There is a car vandalism early in the film so this car with big red 'witch' letters in it gives a funny surreal insert into dramatic and tense scenes or even everyday moments (which is a good example of how the film twists comedy to be eerie). Everyone here is dodging responsibility and tripping over one another to shift blame. The unusual off villain is brilliant. Weapons seeds the suggestion of parasites in the science class board and nature documentary but this feels like a red herring; although the evil here is cryptic enough to puzzle more over.

Risk taking franchise continuation starts slow but challenges expectations. I like the conspiracy minded folk horror twist to The Strangers and it continues to tease us with side looks and townie innuendo. S2 is willing to break the mold when it is at it's best. S2 struggles a little since a horror movie from a hospital bed is a cliche sequel idea and taking the Strangers to a hospital really plays against the franchise strengths (which might be bold but doesnt pay off early on). These films arent gorey or scary enough and feel a little watered down sometimes with racing to a closet cliches of questionable decisions at it's worse veering towards generic slasher but then it shifts on us. Ultimately it's unconventional approach is a strength once it finds footing. Cheers for continuous sequels and expansion of the reboot series. I dont feel like the couple in the the first reboot film had strong enough chemistry to hang as heavily on to in continuity and I wish they had felt like more likeable fleshed characters. Extending the siege horror feels thin (taking final girl tropes to an extreme) but eventually the relentlessness works. Sometimes asking the wrong questions about the eerie mystery of the strangers and poking holes in the near ethereal lack of motive or identity (which is a macgruffin) - but I enjoyed the tone when the masks came off and social thriller awkwardness invaded the dynamics. This unmasking built on the psychological elements in neat ways of defying expectations and deeping the cat/mouse chase feeling. Game sound design, you can feel the sharpness of the axe and oozing of blood through your ears. I was not expecting cgi animal level running out of on brand Stranger ideas. What sort of ambulance only has one paramedic?

Stuffed with jarringly opposite family drama and jump scared Last Rites bites off more than it chews. Rewatched Conjuring Last Rites before it left theaters this Halloween season. There is a confusing effort to relate a haunted mirror personally to the Lorraines shoehorning this mirror into their 'cursed object' schtick.hat doesnt work; feeling too random and disconnected from them but the film sticks to theme jumping to an over the top faith based resurrection. We are on formula now. The case that "would devastate their family and bring there careers to an end" feels a tad over hyped even if it's a decent horror romp (rather aging and changing culture seems to be elements that feel richer for the characters than a single character; the lasagna problem might not be as sensational). Sometimes the rhythm of blood chunking horror alternating to family elements feels jarring. The biographic Lorraine family elements feel sometimes out of place (I'm here for horror but I suppose the thin haunted mirror cliche stuff could be what is mismatched). The horror is personified a lot but often in a different form so this might keep us surprised but it's confusing when there is an old woman but then a man, ages vary, etc - too vaporous. Some trickery with a convincing Larry King (died 2021) interview struck me both times (Conjuring does good at recreating periods and characters so real footage blends). LR seems to try hard to convince the Lorraines were humble salt of the earth people pulled away from their garage ping pong against their wishes into the work and I dont think I'll ever believe that.

Harrowing dog based supernatural horror we didnt know we needed. Filmed in the writer/director's own home with his dog over three years it's a feat of 'Indy' film making. A dog's level view of anything is a clever idea. Here things are atmospheric with stormy nights and foggy woods but too subtle for too long which was disarming and it eventually goes hard. It's an ominous sensual film with fleeting side frame visions and loud eerie music that dodges centering on much of anything. The shooting style feels creative and disorienting (complimentary). Eventually it's cheap trick scares and implied story telling got under my skin first with a jump scare then when the atmosphere wouldn't let up. I was genuinely scared but the plot is a gut puncher that slowly unravels over crossed over events. Excessive Carnival of Souls referencing for the win. Now it makes me want to go home and shoot videos of my dog. (After the credits there was a fun informative making of segment).

Rewatched Good Boy with my kids (14, 17). It's a curious experiment in movie magic (explained a bit in the post credits) whatever your opinion is of the content. The 14 year old didnt like Good Boy because he found it random. The 17 year old (the pet obsessed one) enjoyed it more. This time I could see how the plot is maybe too subtle and open to interpretation (some hints like the movie on the tv hint pretty hard but might be easily overlooked); but I think I most enjoyed some room to chew over what happened and decide a bit myself. I don't think the film makers were quite as effective with the film making tricks they explain and some of the atmosphere works overtime in spots that could have used more plotting.

Relationship themed horror movies (and female directed horror) seem like they might have potential; here as a slightly dull hangup minded socially anxious slow burn horror. It starts off with an all nude crossbow introduction (hunting humans horror is good stuff when paced right) but crawls along from there until a bold impressive ending. The lead couple struggles with chemistry, which is part of the setup but also makes it harder to root for them - they nag and obsess over anxiety. BL flirts with sex mindedness but really just uses that to stoke jealousy and social unease as a form of simmering horror (but it relishes obnoxiousness). "We wll have impostor syndrome." Whatever happened to free spirited bohemian sleaze? BL is location based to a point the while place seems something like a trap and that lends some needed irony to the stuff (really it needed even more naked crossbow massacre stuff). There are some stylish flourishes like a racing around the house reveal scene but BL needed earlier more impactful pizzazz or violence or smuttiness or something less routine than couple infighting after too obvious manipulation. It eventually delivers a memorably blood soaked ending. Atmosphere is provided by a scenic house with a cool backstory which can go so far. It's a serviceable idea with a dumb eventual premise that needed more punch; but stuff like pounding The Exploited's 'Sex & Violence' song helps it a little. Worth seeing for the bookends but might be forgettable otherwise.

A western 'supernatural thriller' is slow but unique. Starts out cryptically enough easing us in with divine hints of a devil child but trending too lightly, the methodical pacing requires some patience but ends up one of KF's strengths (it's subtle enough to be ambiguous and cast shadows of how people react). The wordless kid seems sweet and projects an ironic plot fuel. Guy Pearce can bring intensity (Bill Pullman shows up late) but here the production values lack gravity with stuff like obviously fake blood spurting out of a leg for comedic effect or a too on the nose reference to Harriet Tubman from an overacting stutter. The amber warmth and scenic backgrounds help KF along some but it has a not cheesy enough budget film aura. Eventually some surprises shake free (weird things in the tumbleweeds) near the middle when the band develops a comradery and the horror lite elements dial up.

Campy budget horror about pests in Hollywood (no subtext even) dosen't seem to go anywhere and gets lost in character driven comedy. Maybe the comedy was just over my head or too subtle; there is a way obvious comment about the value if family. The effects are so cheap but it has a cool comic book style character introduction hook... there's some polish but it's not especially funny or scary. An unconvincing storm that shakes a few tree branches and somehow just wrecks havok on cars and power while rustles their hair a bit. The film has a rogues gallery of yuppies, a sex worker, a kid, Justin Long, and a few other cartoons horrified by the worst computer generated coyotes. There is no motive to bond with the characters who are thin, in mundane scenarios (coyotes aside), and stuck in a joyless film unable to balance the attempts at horror. Coyotes isn't bad, but it's not good, and it doesnt do much memorable. Having things like a sleazy robe wearing neighbor adds a little character but is the sort of throwaway joke the film trades in, a fleeting general humor. Brittany Allen, against type, somewhat makes the crew more tolerance with a textured performance as a lady of the night. There's potential with siege elements or even an unusual home invasion twist that never gets very tense. If you want to support indie horror and the Viscious Brothers (a directing duo who split and one directed this) then go see the much better Strange Harvest (apparently directed by the talented half). If youre interested in animal themed films go see Good Boy instead, that is a marvel of animal husbandry free of computer generated abominations.

Shelby Oaks is a horror mystery with some jolts and a willingness to get so wild you'll never guess it. A missing paranormal investigator takes a lot of turns. It builds nicely on Paranormal Paranoids clips to unite different threads into a narrative that sometimes makes smart use it the building blocks (turning some random cliches into keystones) and other times seems to destroy any foundation by going in a different way. For example there is a police subplot used for flavor to mimic national obsession with missing people brilliantly; but really this is a tale of two sisters so it dashs some of that design to do it's own thing. While the plot was clear there was enough irony and unexplained to leave one thinking about the pieces a bit longer (like the initial symbolism). My 13 year old son liked it but my wife didnt like it; she said "it's too far fetched." This might be my least favorite thing Mike Flannigan is associated with but that guy is a legend. I think it veered too much into fantasy but that felt unique.

A Note on Paranormal Paranoids: I watched the Paranormal Paranoids first since Shelby Oaks evolved from that web series; PP is an intentionally cheesy meta Youtube found footage premise. The PP videos feel typical but maybe laced with hidden little touches it feels like something is in the corner of vision while what you register is fairly cliche stageshow personalities being afraid or running out of a building. The Mary Talbot and Elementary clips offer a little scare each that might make then worth watching. I do not think PP adds much that is not already recapped on SO but there is a clip in PP where Riley 'talks about Shelby Oaks' that adds a little flavor.

Deemak is all over the place in frights but mostly centered around an exaggerated civil war between a demanding perfectionism live-in mother-in-law and a bride. Stuff like the husband being randomly cracky is a sound for some tension but it comes across as random. There are some terminate mud tunnels and other imagery used too subtly along with a jinn subplot but in total it's a lot of subthreads to a too weak main plot. It feels like a house haunted by miserable jerks and the wife who won't stand up to too much nagging. There's not much of a plot just a sick elder lady accompanied by ominous music and suspicious side eye. There are a few scary scenes but they seem a bit out of context with effects that seem weak. The restrained pacing and human focus (horror subplot) makes me respect this was better thought out than it was received by me. Sonya Hussyn as the wife gives a more ranged and considerate performance than others who seem to overact here (or seem unlikeable). I appreciated that it's structure was different but revealing the premise most at the end kept us waiting long. We need more better 'quiet horror.'

Small town homeless encampment drug biographic is gritty and mysterious with increasingly strange developments; interesting staging and methodical pacing cover for a meh story. It's an eccentric film with budget motels, rv parks, and thrown together small town cinemas with a happenstance slow burn feel that teases us from the start about the mystery of a key. Some of it's plot devices seem to be small scale directing our attention to said key or an unassuming photo when the world of IhB is stop motional capture worthy magic hour stuff. I went in blind and quickly it tips it's hand on premise but in a subtle way and not outright allowing the viewer to see something is wrong but balancing irony and mystery for much if it's run - but it also feels like the final ending is a bit predictable. The 'social dredges' characters feel relevant and metaphorical. Typical of found footage films it requires it's small group of actors to see horrors that are often offscreen or implied. The key subplot is a clever visual device but awkward as a story detail. It has an ending but leaves it open too which seems criminal considering how slow Pedro Kos is to advance the plot.

QotLD feels niche enough I believe it was a personal tribute from Tina Romero to her father, George Romero [RIP]; but with respect it ends up campy and awkward. Unfamiliar with vogue ballroom culture but die hard into horror I ventured into a different world of Queens. Even as a liberal Democrat the hard dive into drag culture took some getting use to; I want to say the characters seem obnoxious but maybe that's just me being deaf to the culture. Inclusion is righteous and necessary but aside from some surface glitter there's not much strut to Queens. It starts as a hangout film around a comedy bar. The zombie effects are cheap seeming; but play to the upbeat comedy vibe of the film. Everyone overacts so hard it destroys any tension that might muster. Jack Haven as Chelsey has some of the best lines, Jaquel Spivey seems likeable as a relutant queen straddling both worlds, and it's fun (but off type in a zombie film) for Margaret Cho to pops up. QotLD's greatest feat is in challenging zombie typicals with a long overdue modern edge. It's sloppy and low budget but optimistic and upbeat. The score by Blitz//Berlin really helps the film. QotLD is a film of people arguing (and dancing) in a room; and some of the best films have been people arguing in a room (but not this one, mispaced). Some of the attention spent on characters needed to spill over to atmosphere or effects. It builds up to a more delightfully up tempo finale and there is some fun to be had. Slow zombies for the win.