Movie Reviews
‘Nosferatu’ Review: Great Cinematography, but No Meat to Sink Your Teeth Into
Director Robert Eggers is known for his meticulous style in classical horror films like The Witch and The Northman, both features receiving high praises. In Nosferatu, its obvious Eggers spent a good amount of time in the quality of the cinematic sceneries but fell short on the screenplay.
The first few minutes grabbed my attention but dimmed quickly like the darkness throughout the film. Nosferatu is a slow, sluggish burn drama, horror about Count Dracula – Count Orlok (Bill Skarsgård) and the young lonesome, depressed Ellen Hutter (Lily-Rose Depp) that falls into the desires of the Count. The majority of the story revolves around Ellen’s husband Thomas Hutter (Nicholas Hoult) desperately trying to save her and the town from Count Orlok’s macabre intentions. Thomas is joined by Friedrich Harding (Aaron Taylor-Johnson) and the eccentric Prof. Albin Eberhart von Franz (Willem Dafoe). The storyline gets lost in the extensive scenes of the immense gothic castle and stone tombs. Ultimately, the conclusion was exciting but not worth the wait.
Lily-Rose Depp had a bland performance. I did not find her Exorcist like convulsions one bit thrilling, much less the crotch shots. Lily-Rose did not present the aspects of purity and innocence the way Dracula likes them. She is definitely no Mina Harker.
The other performances from Nicholas Hoult and Aaron Taylor-Johnson were typical. Hoult was better as Renfield and Taylor-Johnson was better as Kraven. Willem Dafoe could have toned down the comedic sarcasm and added some Green Goblin madness.
Last, but not least, Bill Skarsgård earns my praise. He was fang-tastic! He rarely disappoints, especially when it comes to horror characters. He brought the chill factor with the dark creepy voice and haunting looks. I wanted to see more Skarsgård. If more quality time was put into Count Orlok, Nosferatu would not have ended up leaving me coals in my stocking this Christmas.
Movie Reviews
‘Wolf Man’ will have you howling in fear – Review
Talk about perfect timing to release a horror film, right after the first full moon of 2025, which is known as the wolf moon. Blumhouse is known to produce amazing horror movies without the large budget and granting directors the freedom of creativity. Wolf Man has all the right elements for delivering a fantastic terror thriller movie.
Director Leigh Whannell once again raises the bar for the new era of horror films. He knows how to get into the mind of the audience and lures them into a psychological nightmare. Whannell stuck with the Blumhouse tradition with the main plot being set in a home– a place where you typically consider to have a sense of security, a home sweet home feeling. Then, the terrifying atmosphere begins to set in as soon as rug is pulled from underneath you and the warm feeling is gone.
The storyline has a unique approach about a father-son-daughter relationship and mother- daughter relationship that applies the supernatural werewolf theme. Wolf Man has the ideal cast that were able to convert and adapt their characters gradually throughout the scenes. Christopher Abbott as Blake delivered an impressive performance, especially transforming from a subdued father to bring out his inner animal. Julia Garner as Charlotte, Blake’s wife, did well transforming from a city dweller to finding her grit to survive and protect her daughter, Ginger – played by adorable and witty Matilda Firth.
Whannell also used distinctive camera angles and styles that immerses the audience into Blake’s viewpoint when he is transitioning into a wolf man. The slow heavy breathing and deep low vibrating sound effects also added to the chilling experience. The make-up special effects department did an exceptional work with the disintegrating tissue and detaching limbs. There are plenty of gruesome scenes that will have you squirming and popping out of your seat, even pulling your hair. If you are familiar with Whannell’s work, you will even notice some references to Saw and M3GAN.
The ending did leave a bit of a cliffhanger. It will have your mind wondering and forming your own conclusions, a great way to make discussions with your movie companions. Wolf Man will be sure to satisfy the appetite of horror film fanatics.
Movie Reviews
Nick Frost’s new film ‘Get Away’ will having you second guess the next family vacation – Review
Synopsis
Written and starring the hilarious Nick Frost, ‘Get Away‘ puts a slight spin on previous horror films such as “Midsommar‘. You get everything from the humor to the gore that you expect from a Nick Frost film and there are some twists you won’t see coming. Catch it now on the Shudder streaming service and let us know what you think in the comments.
Synopsis: The Smith family’s much-needed vacation to the remote Swedish island of Svalta takes a dark turn when they arrive during preparations for a mysterious local festival that celebrates a dark history. Unsettled by the unfriendly locals and strange rituals, they try to make the best of their trip, stubbornly enjoying the island’s isolation and natural beauty. However, as the festival looms closer, the family realizes something far more sinister is unfolding—especially when they discover that a serial killer is on the loose.
Movie Reviews
‘V/H/S Beyond’ is a solid addition to the franchise – Review
From Shudder comes 6 all new short films that make up V/H/S Beyond. Directors Kate Siegel, Justin Martinez, Jay Cheel, Justin Long, Christian Long, Jordan Downey, and Virat Pal have compiled 6 very different yet effectively terrifying tales that make V/H/S Beyond a worthy addition to the franchise. See my instant reaction below.
SYNOPSIS: Six bloodcurdling tapes unleash horror in a sci-fi-inspired hellscape, pushing the boundaries of fear and suspense. From Directors Kate Siegel, Justin Martinez, Jay Cheel, Justin Long, Christian Long, Jordan Downey, and Virat Pal.
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