Movies, Film, and Chili

R.L. Stine's Pumpkinhead 2 is directed by Jem Garrard , who once again shows that she is a solid director. With a decent script this time around, the sequel makes for a genuinely enjoyable kids' horror movie. Usually, the second film in a series struggles to live up to the original, but Garrard has improved considerably as both a filmmaker and storyteller. Her ability to pace scenes and frame shots makes this a noticeable step up from the first movie, and I am starting to think she is a director worth keeping an eye on. Bean Reid has improved considerably since the original, giving the lead character a more confident and believable performance. The same goes for Adeline Lo , who plays the tomboy Becka . Their chemistry and performances make the characters easier to invest in, which is important for a horror movie aimed at younger audiences. Both actors feel more comfortable in their roles, and that improvement helps the sequel feel more polished. Matty Finochio is another h...

Angel and the Badman is a remake directed by Julio Quintana , bringing a new take on the classic Western originally associated with John Wayne . This version stars Zachary Levi and Neal McDonough , two actors who have often been described as blacklisted in Hollywood. The movie takes a different approach from what you might expect, placing less emphasis on action and more on its underlying message. While there are a few scenes that could have been shortened, I can understand what Quintana was trying to accomplish with this remake. Zachary Levi , best known for Chuck and Shazam! , is charismatic and fits the role well. His portrayal of John Wayne's original character gives the film a different personality without making it feel like he is simply trying to imitate Wayne. Levi carries the movie effectively, and his performance is one of the main reasons the remake works as well as it does. Neal McDonough , known for Band of Brothers and his many villain roles, brings a sinister q...

V/H/S/Mixtape opens with an over-the-top character and a scene that immediately makes you shake your head. It is a terrible way to start an anthology that already has to work hard to keep the audience engaged across multiple horror shorts. Unfortunately, the quality is all over the place, with some segments feeling like genuine horror projects and others feeling more like personal art experiments that forgot to entertain. There are a few decent moments scattered throughout, but the collection struggles to deliver consistent scares. Dance, Dance, Dance, Dance feels like a rip-off of Buddy , although it is entirely possible the two projects were conceived independently around the same time. Barbara Crampton looks fantastic, and her performance makes it clear she is a much better actress than most of the people surrounding her. Unfortunately, even she cannot save a boring segment about puppets. I did enjoy the You're Next reference, though. It is also clear that everyone wants to ...

Forgotten Island is another animated misfit-girl movie, this time pairing a rebellious, misunderstood girl with a nerdy, misunderstood girl. It feels like another Turning Red , Ruby Gillman, Teenage Kraken , or Nimona , and this is starting to become a pretty obvious trope. Not every animated movie needs to revolve around an outcast girl discovering herself while everyone else fails to understand her. The movie also leans into the isekai trope, sending its characters into another world, but the writing never does enough to make the familiar premise feel fresh especially with the predictable betrayal. Thankfully, the animation is great, and the cinematography does an excellent job making the world visually interesting. The directors also seem to think they are Edgar Wright , with transitions that occasionally feel more interested in showing off than serving the story. H.E.R. delivers the best performance of the main cast, bringing plenty of personality to her character. Unfortunately,...

  Other Mommy is directed by Rob Savage and written by Nathan Elston , adapting Josh Malerman's novel Incidents Around the House . Rob Savage has shown that he can make an effective horror movie, but this one struggles to deliver on its potential. The film has some genuinely creepy moments, yet it never manages to turn them into anything particularly frightening. The biggest problem is that the source material simply is not strong enough to support the kind of horror the movie is trying to deliver, and some laughable CGI only makes matters worse. Jessica Chastain , known for Interstellar and The Eyes of Tammy Faye , plays both Mommy and Other Mommy . She does a great job handling both roles and gives the characters the distinction they need, working with what the source material provides. Unfortunately, the CGI occasionally undermines her performance, especially when the movie tries to make Other Mommy look terrifying. There is only so much an actress can do when the visual ...

Animals is written and directed by Ben Affleck , who has shown with films like Argo and The Town that he can be a solid filmmaker when everything comes together. Unfortunately, Animals is all over the place. The movie is filled with race pandering, victim blaming, West-hating dialogue, and situations that fall apart if you spend more than five minutes thinking about them. The characters frequently make decisions that do not make sense, and the story struggles to convince you that any of this is unfolding naturally. Ben Affleck is equally inconsistent as an actor. There are moments when he is on point, but others where he veers into overacting. His crying, in particular, feels more annoying than emotionally convincing. Instead of making the audience feel what his character is going through, the performance can pull you right out of the scene. It is frustrating because Affleck has demonstrated that he can deliver much stronger performances, but this is not one of them. Gillian Ande...