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OPERATION FINALE (2018). Very good film detailing how Israeli agents captured and spirited Adolf Eichman to Jerusalum for trial. Although I'm familiar with the history, tension creeps in as endless roadblocks pile up and Ben Kingsley is great as the manipulative unrepentant Nazi. ***1/2
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Sometimes They Come Back… Again (1996) ★★★
In this bit of the extended Stephen King-universe, the dad from Family Ties saves Hillary Swank from the devil. The devil has a few good kills and, together with a few fun moments, that's enough to make it a good warm up on a Friday*night. Not great, but overall*entertaining. |
Slumber Party Massacre (2021) ★★★˝
Finally got around to watching it and... it's a bit of a mixed*bag. There's a lot of good about this film. The opening wastes no time in getting to the good stuff. No messing about, I like it. The kills are good and gory. Good stuff. Of course, this film has its share of fan service and nods to the original (the speech, the body in the fridge, the guitar) and there's also a nod to Pamela Voorhees and maybe even Nailgun Massacre. Putting the spin on the speech also was a good idea, same as with the shower*scene. Adding the Scream-like knowedgeability and savviness may have been a good idea on paper, but here it just leads to a load of exposition which takes away from the storytelling. Along with the whininess of the killer(s), it somehow adds a bit of a "no biggie" atmosphere.* Also: show, don't tell. Maybe it's me growing up with heroines like Ellen Ripley, but showing you're a badass is more entertaining than just saying it. Maybe it's a generational thing, but it seems to me that the viewer does not need to spoonfed what to remember or think. You don't have to shoehorn in what you want to say. We can figure out things on our own, you*know. Overall a good remake, though. It pays hommage to the original, adds a few new elements and as a stand alone film, it works as*well. |
Leprechaun (1993) ★★★
Ah, 1993. When you could stretch a goofy idea into a franchise. And when cordless ringing phones were considered scary. I'm your boyfriend now, Jennifer. Oh yeah, Jennifer Aniston is in this. Scream queen Jennifer Aniston would have been fun too, but I'm pretty sure her bank account*disagrees. It's not that bad and overall entertaining. The Leprechaun gets one or two nice kills (with the pogo kill standing out) and you can tell that Warwick Davis had a lot of fun playing*Leprechaun. |
Slender Man (2018) ★
Proof that relying on ominous music alone is not*enough. Too little and too far*betwen. |
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SKELETON MAN (2004). Completely wretched SYFY offering...just awful on all counts, even Michael Rooker couldn't salvage it. The best way I can describe it is PREDATOR in the woods, but not nearly as good. 1/2
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Halloween Ends (2022) ... 'Halloween Without a Cause'
4/10 The last of the Jamie Lee Curtis' three-part reboot. At least they tried an interesting idea, that I can't reveal, as it's a spoiler. It's nothing new, and pretty obvious from the beginning of the film... but interesting none the less. I don't think the main premise coincided well with the film's conclusion. The plots seemed to disconnect rather than merge or supersede. Felt a bit like 'Rebel Without a Cause' meets 'Ben' and 'Scream'... but in a cliche, this-is-way-too-familiar way. Old stories can have interesting new aspects or straight up twists... or can simply be done really well. Can't say the film succeeded there. Perhaps the worst failure, considering the Halloween horror handle, is that it's not a very scary nor suspenseful film. I did like the cinematography, and the intriguing and nuanced performances from leads Rohan Campbell and Andi Matichak. I think we'll see bigger things from Campbell. |
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