8/10 - Taking the concept of a short film and expanding it out over feature-length is never easy. Yet, Lights Out director David F. Sandberg does it with ease in this scare-filled, chilling, and atmospheric horror film. Never knowing where the attack will come from next, Sandberg's horror instincts are top-notch, but what is even better is the story. Far too often, horror movies ditch the story in favor of just trying to scare its audience. However, Lights Out develops its characters, it story, and really earns it scares and horror. At the end of the day, it is as divisive as all other horror movies, but it has an undeniably great concept and, for me, it executed this concept perfectly.

Starring Diana as our resident evil being, this poor family has been stalked and hunted by Diana for a long, long time. Though impeccably scary, her back story and her connection to this family are incredibly well-developed and compelling. Sandberg, in this case, turns the film almost into an investigative drama as Rebecca (Teresa Palmer), her little brother Martin (Gabriel Bateman), and her boyfriend Bret (Alexander DiPersia), piece together who Diana is and her relation to Rebecca and Martin's mom, Sophie (Maria Bello). In this section, Sandberg manages to create tension through the mystery of the entire proceeding and invites the audience to solve the mystery along with the characters, which is always a fun enterprise to undertake as an audience member.

However, the real point here is to scare you. Though cliched in parts, the film's unique concept allows the film to take a unique approach to these cliches and always keeps you guessing throughout the runtime. Along with the characters, we are forced to guess where Diana is and, as her movement is hard to pinpoint, you can never really guess where she is hiding. Sandberg definitely has a lot of fun getting his character's and audience's mind racing with this element and uses it in order to buck cliches.

In terms of its characters, all of them are largely well developed. However, all are bolstered by their actor. Particularly, Palmer is terrific as Rebecca and really steals the show. Along the same lines, Bello perfectly portrays the tormented Sophie who cannot escape the clutches of Diana, no matter how hard she tries. Though you can see the ending coming, its power is bolstered by the acting of this duo who allow the film to reach a terrific emotional and horror crescendo.

For a horror film, Lights Out is terrific. For a debut, it is all the more impressive. With great creature design, mythology, story, and characters, Lights Out is clearly a labor of love for Sandberg and it really pays off in this chilling, thrilling, and downright scary film that made me regret leaving the lights off when watching.



9/10 - My first Tarvoksky and well, his works definitely live up to the hype. I was always pushing off his work purely through intimidation. Boy was I wrong. Yes, this is slow, but it is never boring. The themes are effortless woven into the very fabric of the film and Tarkovsky's camera work, use of color, and meditations on human existence are brilliant. In Solaris, Tarkovsky explores various themes, most notably grief. However, ideas regarding the meaning of life, why we want the meaning of life, and why we want to have contact with extraterrestrials, are all considered in this master work. A truly hypnotic experience, the film's long runtime would have flown by if the stream I used actually worked in the beginning. However, even with that inconvenience, it was impossible to look away.

One of the best elements here is grief. As in the remake, which I also loved and still do, the mystery regarding the planet's behavior is tremendous. With the planet creating versions of people from the pasts of those on the Solaris mission, it becomes clear that the planet is forcing these people to confront their pain. In particular, Kris Kelvin (Donatas Banionis) is forced to cope with the loss of his wife, Hari (Natalya Bondarchuk). Though he knows she is not real, he cannot accept that she is not real, which clearly causes him to experience the pain of losing her once again. As one of the main thematic endeavors of Solaris, grief gets the most screentime. However, the questions it provokes certainly tie into other elements of the film. In one brief monologue, fellow scientist Snaut (Jüri Järvet) questions why humans are obsessed with finding and establishing contact with other planets, stating: "We don't want to conquer space at all. We want to expand Earth endlessly. We don't want other worlds; we want a mirror. We seek contact and will never achieve it. We are in the foolish position of a man striving for a goal he fears and doesn't want. Man needs man!" In this quote, it really ties in with some of the questions the "guests" cause to arise. For example, why does the planet do this? What is its purpose? To make us overcome our grief? To what end? Is this a defense mechanism to drive us away, due to our inability to cope with grief? Do any of these questions truly matter because we are, in fact, running a fool's errand by trying to find new worlds anyways? I do not have the answers here, but they are interesting questions that are provoked while watching the film.

In terms of its plotting, Solaris is certainly very deliberate. With long takes of various images, Tarvoksky weaves a film that feels more lyrical and poetic than anything else. Utilizing a visual medium, Tarkovsky strives to sew together images that tell the real story of what is going on and, to do this, the camera often lingers in one spot. Spliced together, the end result is a gorgeous film where, at any moment, the film can be paused and the imagery is guaranteed to be gorgeous. One of the best elements here, as well, is that the camera never rushes to catch up with the characters. Often the camera loses the characters and slowly glides its way back to focusing on them.

Interestingly, through this style, Tarkovsky is also able to create a great sense of dread. In particular, the scene when Kris Kelvin first arrives at Solaris and no one is there to greet him. This scene is slowly revealed with Kelvin meandering his way through the space station, allowing the dread to increase considerably the longer scene takes to progress. Next, the ending features a similar sense of dread. However, in addition to visually, this scene unfolds sonically as well. Though initially seeming safe and otherwise unremarkable, the camera slowly rises up into the sky, revealing what the true situation is, Tarkovsky creates an ending with a level helplessness matching a true horror such as Invasion of the Body Snatchers. This helplessness is matched within the film by its theory regarding shame and how it is the true source of helplessness. Given Kelvin's regrets regarding his wife, it is not implausible to suggest that this situation was born out of his shame for his life up to that point. However, the scene does not just unfold visually, but through the score. As the establishing shot is set and the film begins to fade to white, the viewer's ears are assaulted with a discomforting and unpleasing musical score that, personally, left me feeling completely uncomfortable.

My first foray in the work of Tarkovsky, watching this version of Solaris was long overdue after I loved Soderbergh's take on it with George Clooney. Though this film is indisputably superior, the remake is still a brilliant work that is unfortunately plagued with being compared to this one, though I definitely need to rewatch it anyways. As for Tarkovsky's film, it more than lives up to it reputation as one of the, if not the, best science fiction films ever made.



1/10 - Vulgar, immature, and beyond our current definition of stupidity, Sausage Party is a film that actually has an interesting concept. The tale of a hot dog discovering the truth surrounding his fate, Sausage Party turns into an excuse for Seth Rogen and company to thump their atheist chests at believers, while also making food puns and exclusively using toilet humor. Lowering the bar on the lowest common denominator in cinema, Sausage Party is actually worse than Deadpool. Why? Well, I liked Ryan Reynolds. Here, there are very few redeemable elements. A few food puns worked, but were hardly substantive. However, even if I was enjoying this film with humor that can solely be found in middle school classrooms, the food orgy at the end would have ruined that enjoyment. This idiotic and insipid slice of garbage cinema should honestly cause shame for those who wrote this film, for even thinking that this dialogue worked.

Ignoring the fact that no joke lands, the film makes repeated sex, poop, genital, and racist jokes throughout. Yet, as it does offend everybody, the racist element does not bother me. The other parts, however, were just so easy. It is a real shame that this film is rated-R because then nobody under 18 could see this in theaters without a parent. If the audience were just 11-year olds, Sausage Party would be hailed all over as the best film since like ever. Maybe the best since Deadpool or Kingsman. However, just like those other edgy, low-brow humor films that indulge far too greatly in the sexual comedy fantasies of young boys, Sausage Party is never funny, nor is it ever enjoyable. With a disposable plot, a conclusion that makes no sense, and a gum Stephen Hawking being hailed as the one to bring reason to the world ("F*** YOU CHRISTIANS!"), Sausage Party really outdoes itself to be nothing but fleeting entertainment. Not much will last from this film as its disposable plot does nothing to save its horrific sense of humor.

The tragedy here, however, is that the film wastes Edward Norton doing his best Woody Allen impression. If there was ever a good thing to come out of this, it would be for Edward Norton to simply play the Woody Allen character in a Woody Allen movie. He may have done this already (I know he's worked with Allen before), but it needs to be done anyways. What is an even more egregious tragedy here, however, is the film's treatment of women. With all female characters sexed up to the point that the camera literally just zooms in on their ass and vaginas, Sausage Party is the embodiment of the male gaze and the theories presented by Laura Mulvey. Even worse, the film posits the only purpose for women in the film is to be subservient to men with their only drive being their desire for a penis. This is straight out of Mulvey's beliefs regarding the role of women in film and this abhorrent piece of work truly goes out of its way to fulfill all elements.

With a reliance on sexual visual gags and food puns, Sausage Party is never fun and deserves to be cast into the fires of hell for all of eternity. Somehow, it is not the worst film of the year though, if only for the Saving Private Ryan references, the queso joke, and Edward Norton. Oh the torture.



4/10 - Wow, this movie got a 100% on Rotten Tomatoes? With puppets that look on par with the Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer Christmas special, The Witches is a grating and truly annoying film. By the end of it, with how annoying the kids Luke (Jasen Fisher) and his friend Bruno (Charlie Potter) are, I honestly sympathized with the witches wanting to exterminate children. I cannot help but feel that this was not the intention of director Nicolas Roeg. Aside from how annoying the children are in this film, The Witches is also plagued by bad acting, a predictable plot, and a typically sentimental and cheesy ending. This fast-paced sugar rush of entertainment provides little joy and I can only imagine how scary it could be for children.

Starring an annoying 1980s/1990s film child and his grandma who suffers from diabetes when the plot needs her to, The Witches tells the story of, well, witches. These witches are hidden in plain sight with only slight characteristics that tip off their true identity. Otherwise, they are normal women. Yet, they have a diabolical plot to kill children. Led by the Grand High Witch (Anjelica Huston), they will now embark on turning every child in England into a mouse with a new formula and the use of sweet shops to lure in their prey. An admittedly inventive plot, The Witches has some hope when developing its lore. With a menacing character set to take the screen, there is a lot anticipation leading up to seeing the Grand High Witch. Sadly, this comes crashing down when Anjelica Huston shows up. In a highly praised performance, I yet again hated her performance. Over-the-top to the point of comedy, she inspires no fear. Her lines escape from her mouth barely. Honestly, it barely even feels as if she is trying to deliver her lines with any sort of emotion or intention. Other than Wes Anderson films, I have yet to be impressed by Anjelica Huston. The Witches was doomed once I realized she turned in another ineffectual performance here.

However, she is not the only one to let this film down. With annoying characters, fake puppets courtesy of Jim Henson, and the pain and agony of having to watch these children as mice for a little under an hour, this one was tough to get through. By the grace of God, Nicolas Roeg puts the pace into overdrive throughout with the quickest moving bad movie I have ever seen and it is truly merciful. Yet, it is not enough to escape my ire. With a predictable plot, The Witches clearly sets up scenarios that are devoid of any tension. Since it is a kids film, Roeg plays it safe at every turn, afraid to cause any unnecessary stress for child viewers. Instead, the film jumps from cliche scene to cliche scene that is easily digestable and overly familiar to anyone who has seen enough bad late 1980s/early 1990s family movies. The scenes supposed to have tension - the bedroom scene and the kitchen scene - play out exactly as one would expect with Luke narrowly evading detection as a mouse. Fortunately, if you did not know he was doing this, Luke also narrated his every action and emotion along the way to keep you abreast of his situation. If Luke is not your cup of tea, we also have Bruno. Bruno is fat and likes to eat. Every line he says relates to either. Is that not the funniest thing ever?

The film continues its downward trend with its predictable ending, which feels as if it taken straight out of the family movie playbook. For a man capable of making far better films such as Walkabout, Roeg seems uncharacteristically comfortable with making a by-the-numbers family movie without diverting from the cliches or the typical narrative structure at all. Instead, as the ending shows, he is committed to having it play out as stereotypically as possible. Sadly, his cliched happy ending with an uncharacteristic action from a witch also goes against the book, which appears to have a far better ending. Here, it does fit the tone of the film, but it does solely to give a nice happy ribbon to a film that does not need one.

A family film that may be a bit scary for many kids, Nicolas Roeg's The Witches is an incredibly disappointing film. Given the previous work I had seen by Roeg (Walkabout), I had high hopes. Yet, the only joy I got was watching Rowan Atkinson throw and kill mice. Otherwise, I got a cliched and predictable family film that followed the narrative structure of every other family film to a tee. This can be fine, but it does not provide a great path towards being a good film. Instead, The Witches is a film that parents can toss on for the kids and not be completely repulsed, even if the mice/children are grating.



7/10 - Nocturnal Animals is the second film by director Tom Ford and, likewise, it is the second film I have seen from him. The famed fashion designer known for his visual style fleshes this out in Nocturnal Animals, starring Amy Adams and Jake Gyllenhaal. Telling the story of a woman who reads the novel of her ex-husband and slowly realizes it has a basis in reality, Nocturnal Animals is a tense, thrilling, and visually arresting film, but it does get a bit too caught up in its style to be anything truly spectacular. As it stands though, it is still a very good sophomore effort from Ford in the director’s chair.

As with A Single Man, Nocturnal Animals’ greatest asset is its visuals. The stunning cinematography is not the only area of this, but it is where I will start. The best shot, to me, was of Edward Sheffield (Gyllenhaal) running from the desert to the road and through a barbed wire. Focused on the desert, Gyllenhaal enters the frame at a distance from the right and the camera never moves. No close-up, nothing. Rather, he still in the far third of the screen. The end result is a beautifully staged shot that, for whatever reason, really worked for me. Similarly, gratuitous shots of the desert are a personal favorite of mine and apparently Ford too, given how often he used them. Similarly, shots of cars driving at night or simply the Texas landscape prove to be gorgeous shots. However, as is expected, Ford has a eye for style. From terrific costumes for Amy Adams, great make-up/hairstyling, and great production design with a stunning level of detail, Ford creates a truly beautiful world that makes you want to cloak yourself in its aesthetic appeal.

In terms of its plot, Nocturnal Animals occurs in both the non-fictional and fictional with the latter being in Susan's mind as she reads Edward's novel. As she reads, Ford often cuts between her reading and Edward and Sheriff Andes's (Michael Shannon) reenactment of the story. As it progresses, however, Ford often cuts between Susan and fictional Edward doing the exact same thing. Showering. Rising out of a bath. Showering again. Laying in bed in opposite directions. Here, Ford tries to create a connection between the fictional and non-fictional, but undeniably becomes far too focused on creating artistic appeal than anything else. The cuts are pretty, but feel far too indulgent to really land with much power. Fortunately, the plot does save this element with powerful stories that parallel one another. It is clear that Ford is evidently pro-life in this film given his portrayal of abortion in both worlds. Yet, it is incredibly interesting to watch this parallel come together in the plot and even in the title (a nickname given to Susan by real Edward). This is really where much of the intrigue of Nocturnal Animals comes in as, otherwise, it would just be a pretty typical revenge thriller. Here, it adds another layer and, as such, becomes a truly compelling work worthy of further study.

Performance-wise, I would be lying if I said Michael Shannon did not steal the show. As a hard-nosed cop who violently throws up often due to his lung cancer, Shannon does not put on a Texas accent to disappear into his role. Rather, he carries himself with the attitude and swagger of a Texas sheriff and, simply by seeing him walk into frame, you know he means business. Gyllenhaal is also terrific here as the grief stricken Tony Hastings in the fictional world. Powerful and intense, Gyllenhaal brings to the forefront Tony's personal issues with his/Edward's own masculinity and being called "weak". Often moved to anguish, Gyllenhaal - though upstaged by Shannon - continues his hot streak of terrific roles and performances. Compared to the men, Adams is far more low-key. Her role is far more subdued and subtle. She plays the role terrifically well, however, capturing the emotionless nature of her character, never showcasing the slightest hint of being broken or phased by those around her.

The best piece of Nocturnal Animals is its visuals. Haunting, arresting, and simply gorgeous to view, they are certainly bolstered by a good score that rises at the perfect moments and great acting. Yet, Ford's willingness to indulge in his artistic endeavors far too often do hold the film back a bit, notably during the cross-cutting between Adams and Gyllenhaal and the opening sequence. In this way, Nocturnal Animals is certainly beautifully imperfect.



5/10 - "Kent and I have sex every Friday night after Blue Bloods. I find Tom Selleck's work to be very erotic."

-Kristen Bell as Kiki

Part comedy, part ode to mothers, Bad Moms is an often funny comedy that boasts a cast of characters with great chemistry with one another, but has an incredibly weak plot. With cliches left and right, Bad Moms is a typical unsuspecting hero rises to the top against all odds against a evil villain who is not actually that evil story. I explained it poorly, but if you watch enough movies (at least more than 10 in your life), you are well accustomed to this storyline. This element certainly holds the film back and though the film's plot and jokes are very typical for a modern comedy, its characters have enough charisma and venom to make them stick the landing.

Led by Mila Kunis, who stars as "bad mom" Amy Mitchell, this cast has some seriously comedic chops amongst them. Joining Kunis are Kathryn Hahn as slutty mom Carla and Kristen Bell as weird mom Kiki and together, the three kill every scene they are in. With raunchy humor coming from every direction, the joke repertoire is pretty limited. Yet, these ladies make it work for them. However, the best part here is actually the characters. Overworked, overstressed, and suffering from a cheating husband, Kunis' Amy Mitchell tries her best, but it is never enough for her kids or anyone in her life. Here, Bad Moms truly celebrates this hero. Though often overlooked, this mom who may not be the best, but tries her hardest and does a good job deserves recognition and this film is willing to give it to her. This is largely the film's greatest accomplishment. Otherwise, Carla is just slutty and Kiki is just weird. They lament about the men in their lives and, to be fair, the men in their lives suck. However, the trio is united in their love of their children, no matter how bratty and rude they can be to them, which is a real testament to moms as a whole.

Unabashedly a chick flick, Bad Moms feels the need to borrow from past chick flicks with useless men, guys who the women fawn over, and of course, having its own personal "mean girls". The first two elements are whatever. It is a chick flick after all. However, Mean Girls already handled the topic of the "queen bee" and her little minions. Here, Bad Moms introduces its queen bitch as Gwendolyn James (Christina Applegate) and her two lackees Stacy (Jada Pinkett Smith) and Vicky (Annie Mumolo). Vicky is hysterical with her aloof nature and willingness to just go against the tide to do whatever her scatter brain desires. However, Gwendolyn and Stacy are so typical, it is a shame. The plot is cliche, but make no mistake, so are the characters here. Together, they combine for a sea of cliches that hit with greater and greater intensity throughout.

In complaining, however, I do not want this point to be lost: Bad Moms is not that bad. A cliche and modern comedy in all the worst ways at times, Bad Moms can also be hysterical. With a light and fun atmosphere and a lighting quick pace, Bad Moms evades being killed by its negative qualities and instead delivers a quality summer comedy that is nothing but disposable entertainment. Though not a woman or a mother, I can safely guess that Bad Moms would be the perfect idea for a get together of middle aged women. It is raunchy, yes, but it does have a story that will resonate with that demographic and it certainly celebrates these women who selflessly dedicate themselves to those who do not the same for them. This makes for an appealing chick flick for that demographic and it will likely be celebrated a such. For guys, it is a pretty funny movie and you can do far worse when it comes to clear chick flicks. At the very worst, Mila Kunis, Kathryn Hahn, and Kristen Bell, are incredibly funny here and deliver quite good performances that do often rise above the material.



7/10 - Certainly one of those 1980s films that has shown wear-and-tear in the years since its releases, Ladyhawke is still an enjoyable and funny adventure romp. Starring Matthew Broderick, Michelle Pfeiffer, and Rutger Hauer, Ladyhawke is a fantasy adventure film with religious elements, comedy, and campy battle sequences. Hardly a truly serious film, Ladyhawke has a good time along the way, even if Donner often overindulges in the campy elements during battle sequences to the detriment of the film as a whole. Funny, entertaining, but entirely disposable, Ladyhawke has not aged well, but remains eminently watchable.

Broderick stars as Philippe Gaston, a petty thief and pickpocket, who escapes from a dungeon in medieval Europe. Previously seen as impossible to escape from, Gaston's accomplishment is not taken lightly by the Bishop in charge of the town (played by John Wood). As he escapes from jail and is tracked down by the Bishop's army, he is rescued by the mysterious Captain Navarre (Rutger Hauer). Accompanying Navarre on his journey to kill the Bishop, Philippe comes to learn a unique secret about Navarre and his lover Isabeau (Michelle Pfeiffer) and their sordid history with the Bishop. The end result of this history is a curse that prevents the two from being together and is spoiled if you read the movie's description on any site (such as on Letterboxd, so do not do that if you have not seen the movie). What ensues is a morality play, Broderick engaging in banter with God, and cheesy battle sequences.

The greatest morality play here concerns Navarre. Wronged by the Bishop, Navarre considers his mission from God to be to kill the Bishop. However, doing so would eliminate any chance of lifting the curse. Thus, he must rely upon non-violent means suggested by Philippe and Imperius (Leo McKern) - a Bishop and friend of Navarre's - in order to overcome the curse and the Bishop. Here, Navarre learns that violence is not the will of God, nor is vengeance. Rather, trust and faith in the belief that God has a plan and things will be righted in the end is the way of God. A powerful and emotional element of this otherwise silly film, Ladyhawke is obsessed with the relationship between God and man, with this being the ultimate lesson to be learned.

Not only does Navarre learn this lesson, but so does Philippe. Constantly engaging is humorous banter with the "almighty", Philippe is a petty thief who eventually begins to see the light. Through his role as a sort of "guardian angel" for both Navarre and Isabeau, Philippe finds a purpose and meaning in the world. Fortunately, this does not stop Broderick from cracking jokes at every turn, which really both enforce the film's campy nature and provide incredible entertainment. While Hauer and Pfeiffer are hardly anything special here, Broderick is what really injects life into this film with witty lines and incredible comedic delivery of these lines. 1980s Matthew Broderick is the best Matthew Broderick and Ladyhawke really highlights why this is still the case.

An incredibly campy film, Ladyhawke highlights this in battle sequences. Over-the-top and silly, Donner has a lot of fun with sword play and exaggerate choreography in the battles. In particular, the final battle in the Church features much of these antics, but it is held back with some weird usage of slow motion and being a weird mixture of over-the-top, yet clearly choreographed. None of the battle is overly smooth and just has this weird manufactured feeling to it all. What makes it worse, however, is the final sequence that is obviously predictable with Hauer lifting up Pfeiffer and them declaring their love for one another. Sentimental and cheesy, this ending just felt so contrived it does hurt the final product.

Not to be taken overly serious, Ladyhawke is a fun movie with great comedy, a great performance by Matthew Broderick, and a compelling and interesting plotline. Though the ending is a bit of a letdown given the strength of the rest of the move, the film's positives more than outweigh the negatives the third act provide.