Author Archives: Dr. Tennyson

The Flash

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Vampire Owl: I have once proven that I could be faster than The Flash.

Vampire Bat: Vampires have speed as one of their special skills.

Vampire Owl: Yet, it is certainly not fast enough.

Vampire Bat: You cannot ask for so much of speed when you have other skills.

Vampire Owl: Drinking blood do not count as a skill.

Vampire Bat: I understand that it is a quality.

Vampire Owl: I was going to call it a necessity.

Vampire Bat: Vampires can live without any necessities.

Vampire Owl: Humans call necessity to be the mother of invention.

Vampire Bat: We do not need to invent anything, as we have everything here already.

[Gets a mango cake and three cups of Vagamon tea].

What is the movie about? :: Barry Allen a.k.a. The Flash (Ezra Miller) is living his life as the superhero who is meant to save the world regularly along with Bruce Wayne a.k.a. Batman (Ben Affleck) and Diana Prince a.k.a. Wonder Woman (Gal Gadot). After stopping a robbery and after saving children from a hospital, Barry gets back to his normal life which includes the trial of his father Henry Allen (Ron Livingston) who is supposed to have killed his mother Nora Allen (Maribel Verdu) a long time ago when he was a child. It was the one incident which changed his world permanently, and it is still has the chance to get him further down in depression. Understanding that his father would remain in prison for the murder which he never committed, he is overcome by emotions and ends up traveling back in time. Despite the advice of Bruce not to do it, he ends up changing his past, making sure that his mother never forgot to buy a can of tomatoes, and was not left alone in the kitchen while his father had left for the supermarket. This seems to have left his mother alive and his father out of prison.

So, what happens with the events here as we just keep looking? :: Barry feels that he has solved everything by just changing a little bit of the past, but he is thrown out of the world of speed by another quickly moving person. As he falls out of there, he finds himself in 2013, and finds his parents at home, with another version of him arriving there at the same time. This version does not have the powers as he does not go to the same places, and in an attempt to make sure that the superpowers are achieved, they reach the location to get hit by lightning, but Barry ends up losing his powers while the younger version in this timeline becomes the metahuman. The other version of him do not know how to use the powers, and without them, he cannot get back to his timeline, and that creates a clear problem out there. He has to go back in time before there is any more problem being created, but this is the same moment when an alien from outer space sends a threatening message to humans to provide them with someone belonging to their species or meet instant doom. Now, with no metahumans to be found in this world and with no Justice League, Barry wonders what can be done.

The defence of The Flash :: It can be seen that The Flash begins really well, with some slow motion moments that steal the show – even before that, we know that the film will be more light-hearted than anything else. The actions sequences are nicely done, especially the final ones. The journey through the timeline and within the Speedforce remain interesting. Some of the references to what lies beneath work with effectiveness. The idea of not trying to alter the past for personal gains maintains the upper hand, and a certain amount of stoicism can also be seen. At the same time, the movie serves its fan with determination, and we are impressed with multiple worlds reminding us of Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness just because that film came earlier. Sometimes we feel that we just need that particular version of Supergirl to appreciate the work done here – not all worlds need Superman-power, and some are not ready for the same. Well, not all worlds need to have everything, and it could be more divergent than having some versions of all heroes everywhere.

Positives and negatives :: When the speedster metahuman is involved, there is always scope for more, not just with the story, but with the visuals which would have no real limits – we know that the tale can always be expanded from that series from some time ago. It is to be noted that the Flash is not really a much remembered superhero in this part of the world, and often makes us feel that Quicksilver always had the advantage in the slow-motion sequences – Marvel’s early introduction of its metahumans could be blamed for the same, but even after the speedster returned, the ball never really arrived at his court to provide him the advantage. The negativity in relation to the movie is not justified though, as the movie works so well, and it maintains quality in the proceedings. If Spider-Man with its multiverse can work nicely, this does the same with the use of speed even better. The movie struggles a bit during the first return to 2013 timeline and the a few minutes there do not go off – things only get better with the discovery of Batman in this particular world.

The performers of the soul :: Ezra Miller handles the character of Flash with ease. The elements of humour have been maintained well by him here. The comic side remains strong, thanks to him, and in their very small presences, Gal Gadot and Ben Affleck also supports the humorous side really well. The one who steals show as the surprise package is Sasha Calle who becomes the first Latina actress to portray the role of Supergirl. The extra-terrestrial species of the planet of Krypton seems to be scoring really well with their characters beyond Superman too. Sasha is remarkable as the Supergirl who rises to fight for the new species that she does not know, and excels in those shots of classic superhero action that elevates the movie. We would love to see her in more action movies, maybe with a science fiction or horror touch. Michael Shannon’s return as General Zod makes the same impact as the last time. Antje Traue has the supporting role with the antagonist, and remains somewhat notable. Michael Keaton comes in the role of Batman of the new timeline, and it is not something new for those who have seen him playing the role before in the 1990s.

How it finishes :: The Flash can be considered as a misunderstood movie which could have done a lot better business and surely deserved a better reception from the audience. Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom is surely a better flick which also only did better, but not as much as it should have done. Well, these days, we do see that most of these DC movies are actually better than the Marvel flicks after Avengers: Infinity War and Avengers: End Game. The overpowered Captain Marvel never really needed to make a comeback either and The Marvels never required to even exist as it never seemed to have shows there. We would have required more of movies from Doctor Strange and maybe a film with Hawkeye at the centre from the Marvel Cinematic Universe. For DC, there could have been more of Batman and Wonder Woman too. For now, it is good to have The Flash around with a Supergirl whom we are going to remember for a very long time. You have to make the movies interesting, rather than trying to create characters and situations for the sake of pleasing people, and this movie deserves the applause for keeping it entertaining at all times.

Release date: 16th June 2023 (Theatre); 15th November 2023 (Jio Cinema)
Running time: 144 minutes
Directed by: Andy Muschietti
Starring: Ezra Miller, Sasha Calle, Michael Shannon, Ron Livingston Maribel Verdú, Kiersey Clemons, Antje Traue, Michael Keaton

<<< Click here to go to the previous review.

@ Cemetery Watch
✠ The Vampire Bat.

The Red Door

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Vampire Owl: I have always loved the red door.

Vampire Bat: There is no red door in the castle.

Vampire Owl: There are doors in many colours?

Vampire Bat: You were colouring the stone doors all these times?

Vampire Owl: It already had enough colours with them.

Vampire Bat: We only paint everything black.

Vampire Owl: Not everything is black in the castle.

Vampire Bat: Yes, in the Dracula Castle, some are very dark grey.

Vampire Owl: You cannot question Doctor Frankenstein’s choice of colours.

Vampire Bat: So, Mr. Frankenstein is responsible for all of these.

[Gets a blueberry cake and three cups of kadak chai].

What is the movie about? :: Josh Lambert (Patrick Wilson) has lived many years after the earlier incidents of possession and traveling through the Further, a realm full of tortured souls through which the family had projected in an astral mode bringing chaos and destruction to their world. Renai Lambert (Rose Byrne) is now divorced from him, and this separation has not come up with positive things for him or her. His relationship with his son Dalton Lambert (Ty Simpkins) has only managed to worsen over time, and his attempt to make things better by staying closer to him only makes the whole thing even more terrible. As Dalton joins a new course, Chris Winslow (Sinclair Daniel) becomes his new best friend after they are given the same room despite the latter being a girl. He joins the class of Professor Armagan (Hiam Abbass) as he wishes to be an artist, but a painting that he makes when asked to go deep into memory makes things very weird. The painting is of a red door which has served as a portal to the Further and the darkness of evil that awaited.

So, what happens with the events here as we just keep looking? :: This is when both father and son seems to have some hallucinations, and dead people seem to come to meet them. Dalton seems to have travelled to some other world which is connected to this, but he does not remember the Further – both Josh and Dalton had their memories wiped out and seeing the spirits is the first-time experience for them. The demons that haunt them only seem to get worse. Chris shows Dalton YouTube videos about astral projection to help him understand the situation, as he gets into the Further again, which brings into this world an unknown entity that attacks Chris. Despite the repeated warnings by Chris, Dalton decides to go into the Further again and search for answers, which locks him there. Josh who understands that the situation is terrible, meets Renai and after knowing about the painting of the red door, decides to travel to the terrifying dimension once again to save Dalton. Can he do it without being lost there?

The defence of Insidious V: The Red Door :: We are always interested in a world beyond, brought together by astral projection, and having its demons. The reminder about another dimension existing in the dark and waiting to pounce upon us, is something that has immense possibilities. We get the feeling that this brings everything together, and the franchise’s journey focusing on this particular family might end here. The use of picture and some of the moments within the other dimension brings some horror here, and the mystery remains strong. The bonding for family is nicely shown without holding back. The emotional side works for most of the time too. The idea of focusing on the red door through a painting is nicely done. The astral projection’s extension can be seen as effective enough to bring other films focusing on the same idea. The journey through the memories also brings some of the nostalgia back here too. We are looking forward for the red door to open and bring something more through the portal that connects between all of these, for we understand again that death is only the beginning of a torment that never ends.

The claws of flaw :: Insidious V: The Red Door reminds us that the franchise was once very frightening with elements that were to stay in our memories. One can be sure that this one does not live up to that power, as the scares are never focused on. The darkness and the evil that lurks in the Further is not explored well enough, as we look closer. The demons basically could have had a grand tale with deep myths running through, but the same cannot be seen here. There is a certain amount of struggle that this movie goes through, this many years after it made its classic point through another dimension, and that feels too strange. There are moments when we think what went wrong with this world, as there was so much to explore, and instead this movie spends its time to focus on the family and how the members bond together to destroy evil that comes back to haunt them – it also leaves us with the hope of bringing the whole family together yet again; not the best choice for a fifth horror movie in a frightening franchise which should live forever.

The performers of the soul :: Patrick Wilson also becomes the director in this movie, as he goes through the journey both as the main character and the man behind all of these with ease. He has been a clear part of the horror world with works in The Conjuring universe as well as this one, along with the journey through the Aquaman franchise. His journeys seem to have created so many horror enthusiasts in this part of the world, and he leaves us confident about more. The beginning as the director works out well for him too. Rose Byrne has been part of this franchise for long, and contributes well as one would expect in a film which does not focus on her that much. Ty Simpkins’s son character works pretty well, while Sinclair Daniel bring the comic side to the scene, even though a little bit more than it was needed in a movie like this, and not always working that well with the humour. The supporting work just happens, and do not go that much forward with the same strength with which the earlier movies came and conquered without second thoughts.

How it finishes :: Insidious V: The Red Door tries to bring the sequel horror right back here again. The attempts of Annabelle, Sinister, The Conjuring, The Nun, Don’t Breathe and others have already been seen, and this particular movie here is at number five with its sequels. We know that horror is forever, but we also understand that none of these movies had their sequel providing a higher quality than the original flicks which started the series with a certain amount of strength. It leaves a certain amount of chance for another sequel which can explore the demons and the other dimension better. But we know that a sequel might not have that much of a power as we would have expected from an original, and the next one would be the sixth movie in the series which would require more plans to elevate the overall status. Not many movies have managed to come up with a sixth film in the franchise, and for horror movies, it is even more difficult. This movie just manages to live on as a sequel, and we have to see how far can the next entry raise the level.

Release date: 7th July 2023
Running time: 107 minutes
Directed by: Patrick Wilson
Starring: Patrick Wilson, Rose Byrne, Ty Simpkins, Sinclair Daniel, Hiam Abbass

<<< Click here to go to the previous review.

@ Cemetery Watch
✠ The Vampire Bat.

Scream VI

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Vampire Owl: Do you have a count of the number of serial movies we have watched?

Vampire Bat: I even have a count of the number of Ghostface films we have watched.

Vampire Owl: The Ghostface is not that scary a face.

Vampire Bat: Not for us vampires, but they are for the humans.

Vampire Owl: The spoof movies have killed that fear effect.

Vampire Bat: Well, spoof movies also have the fear factor.

Vampire Owl: They are supposed to be funny, right?

Vampire Bat: Yet, there is something scary coming from within.

Vampire Owl: We do not get scared that easily.

Vampire Bat: Yet, we have enough to be scared about, including some mean humans.

[Gets a paneer masala dosa and three cups of cardamom tea].

What is the movie about? :: It is a Halloween night and things seem to go really smooth with some fine trick or treat times. Laura Crane (Samara Weaving), a film professor is murdered in the alley by one of her students wearing the Ghostface costume who feels that she has been blaming him too much for failing. But the same person after returning from the act of cruelty is brutally stabbed multiple times to his death by another person in the Ghostface costume who gets into his home. Sam Carpenter (Melissa Barrera) and Tara Carpenter (Jenna Ortega), the two sisters who escaped the attack of the Ghostface killer have now moved into New York City with the latter attending Blackmore University where Laura also taught about slasher films from the last century. The other survivors Mindy Meeks-Martin (Jasmin Savoy Brown) and Chad Meeks-Martin (Mason Gooding) are also there. Quinn Bailey (Liana Liberato), Anika Kayoko (Devyn Nekoda) and Ethan Landry (Jack Champion) are the other three students who are close to them and they are more like one group.

So, what happens with the events here as we just keep looking? :: Kirby Reed (Hayden Panettiere), a survivor of the earlier murders is now an FBI agent, and gets herself assigned to the case. Wayne Bailey (Dermot Mulroney) is the original police officer assigned to case, and has no clue about what has been happening. Gale Weathers (Courteney Cox), the survivor who wrote books about the Ghostface-related murders is also there as reporter again. The situation seems to be more complicated than ever, as the killer is not just out to kill the two sisters, but also prove that they were always the real killers. Gale had also found an abandoned theatre, which was set up like a shrine for the killers wearing Ghostface masks. The survivors decide that it is time to finish the Ghostface forever, with Wayne and Kirby on their side. They set up traps for the murderer, but the person seems to be smarter than that, and there seems to be surely more than one killer wearing the costume. So, how will they find the killers with the Ghostface mask without being killed? How much of the mystery can they manage to solve before most of them get brutally stabbed by the person in black?

The defence of Scream VI :: As a sequel to a slasher franchise that goes a long way from the past’s nostalgia to the present, the movie maintains the standard which we were assured with the earlier films. The first scene is surely among the best, as even with some deviation, there is that murder at a time when were less expecting it to happen. Samara Weaving in the beginning becomes part of that talk which brings the early twist with blood and gore back to the track. There is no better sight than a Ghostface coming after another. You are reminded that Ghostface is forever, and there is no going back from this particular serial killer – we have others for sure, but this is one killer that rises above them all without any superpowers and by not truly coming back from the dead. The final scenes are really well, and we have some nice moments in a train too. The hunt feels very much dangerous, and we know that there is something more to be revealed here. This time, the villain is not just about the movies, as things well be more personal than ever. You will also be screaming for more, as we look forward to a sequel to take this forward even further.

The claws of flaw :: We are looking at another Scream movie here, and after so many films in the franchise, we expect the flick to be a lot better. The case of repetition does not make things better, even though there was the chance to move away from the common ideas – it could have focused on horror which takes a side-seat instead of coming to the front. There is a certain amount of weakness in the horror elements which goes back instead of bringing the terror. There are some movies which focused on slasher horror so well, placing that element over the others, like There is Someone Inside the House and the three movies of Fear Street. Even the reboot of Wrong Turn came back with the elements so well. We have always remembered this movie for slasher horror, but there are so many occasions when we see that this flick tries to go back to the past and feed on the nostalgia even at a time when there is none. The twist is not that much working, as one could successfully guess some part of it. The common slasher elements could have been brought in there to increase the impact.

The performers of the soul :: Melissa Barrera continues her good form as the scream queen here too, and maintains the legacy of the Scream franchise well. The final moments provide her with the opportunity to get close to that legacy and she manages that with ease. The action in the end has her as a possible action heroine at some point, like Kate had its female assassin in full strength. Jenna Ortega does well as the second most important character, the sister who finds trouble again and fights it well with the sibling. She would make no lesser scream queen either. Courteney Cox does the same thing again, as she has been doing for a very long time – while adding to the nostalgia, the feeling of repetitiveness feels a little too much. Hayden Panettiere has been a crush for a lot of us during the 2000s, and it is good to see her again, leaving us with some more of fine nostalgia to add here. Her work remains a highlight in this movie too. Samara Weaving could have had more screen space though, as she was the one who started this film so well. Another seemingly interesting scream queen is Liana Liberato, and the rest also nicely contributes to the slasher.

How it finishes :: I have never been far away from slashers, as they have been part of my journey with horror movies for a long time – I would be teaching them with a lot of happiness if it was part of the syllabus in a university. Here, it can be seen that the one franchise with which we have the nostalgia associated, has another movie to keep us interested in the serial killer whom everyone remembers and uses as a common model for Halloween celebrations regularly. Ghostface is to live forever through different killers, and the murderers of this movie also makes it count. Yet, we feel that this could have been better, and that the movie could have elevated the whole thing to another level through horror. There could have also been some music to add to that horror, and darkness could have also contributed better. It does misses out with the horror as it can be seen here, and we call for sequels of Sinister, Evil Dead, Insidious, Annabelle, The Nun or The Conjuring to serve for the same, as they have done with the first of their series.

Release date: 10th March 2023
Running time: 122 minutes
Directed by: Matt Bettinelli-Olpin, Tyler Gillett
Starring: Melissa Barrera, Jasmin Savoy Brown, Jack Champion, Henry Czerny, Mason Gooding, Liana Liberato, Dermot Mulroney, Devyn Nekoda, Jenna Ortega, Tony Revolori, Josh Segarra, Samara Weaving, Hayden Panettiere, Courteney Cox

<<< Click here to go to the previous review.

@ Cemetery Watch
✠ The Vampire Bat.

Anand Sreebala

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Vampire Owl: I have always wanted more murder mysteries to be solved.

Vampire Bat: We are not taking applications from catchers of serial killers.

Vampire Owl: We can solve them all by ourselves.

Vampire Bat: There are exceptions which can only be solved in the human world.

Vampire Owl: You mean to say that it is that evil?

Vampire Bat: The serial killers of human world are the evilest ones.

Vampire Owl: I have heard that serial killers are celebrated in their world.

Vampire Bat: I doubt if this particular murder in the movie is a serial killer’s work.

Vampire Owl: You are underestimating the power of a serial killer.

Vampire Bat: As far as I know, we are talking about one particular murder in the movie.

Vampire Owl: You know that there can always be more than one.

Vampire Bat: You do not need to bring an extra killer to the scene.

Vampire Owl: They call us killers, don’t they?

Vampire Bat: Well, we have killed enough mosquitos to earn that title.

Vampire Owl: The suffering of blood-drinkers of many worlds.

Vampire Bat: This movie is based on a real incident though.

Vampire Owl: Reality has been a myth for too long.

Vampire Bat: Reality has been effectively created by media.

Vampire Owl: We know enough stories to get a background to the movie?

Vampire Bat: This was on the newspaper for long enough. You will know.

Vampire Owl: I often know too less about the human world.

Vampire Bat: You never know the humans enough.

Vampire Owl: So, the humans will kill their own people in serial killer mode.

Vampire Bat: We need not stop them until all of them are killed.

[Gets a box with caramel popcorn and three cups of cardamom tea and moves into theatre].

Vampire Owl: The movie seems to maintain the same power of flicks like Anveshippin Kandethum; that kind of a mood.

Vampire Bat: Along with Ozler and Thalavan, makes another fine thriller for the year.

Vampire Owl: Arjun Ashokan leads the way very well here.

Vampire Bat: He has always had the skills to play these kinds of roles.

Vampire Owl: He seems to suit the role of a young investigator with ease.

Vampire Bat: We have seen him doing the role of young cop before in Unda.

Vampire Owl: Aparna Das plays the journalist with ease, even though the role could have meant more to perform in the later stages.

Vampire Bat: Malavika Manoj plays her role in what seems to be a realistic portrayal.

Vampire Owl: I am sure that we will see more of her soon enough.

Vampire Bat: Then we see Saiju Kurup with the police role, done so well.

Vampire Owl: And it is always good to see Azees Nedumangad around, in any role.

Vampire Bat: The veterans, Siddique and Indrans do get something to do too.

Vampire Owl: The visuals might be the best thing about the movie.

Vampire Bat: I do remember some shots, like the one in archives and of the last fighting scenes outside the state.

Vampire Owl: The twist in the end seems to have had less effort behind it though, as things just seem too easy.

Vampire Bat: It still matches the overall mood of the movie, as the tale of the common police aspirant.

Vampire Owl: Well, there is nothing that matches the struggle of a commoner on the screen.

Vampire Bat: The movie could have actually used some moments of real danger.

Vampire Owl: Well, there are so many things that could have brought a terror that continued.

Vampire Bat: The movie feels more like mystery than the thriller, but there is still the certainty of thrills that hesitate to go away.

Vampire Owl: In the end, they make things work.

Vampire Bat: The cameos do feel out of place. They seem to be there for the sake of being present.

Vampire Owl: But we feel that they are suitable enough.

Vampire Bat: The humour does work well enough.

Vampire Owl: Well, we keep hoping for more, as that is what we do.

[Disappears into the darkness of the day because the clouds have done the trick, and awaits the darkest bloody night of the week].

The YouTube video features another film review here. The reviews aim to captivate viewers by offering engaging and thought-provoking commentary on the chosen movies. While the writing continues to play a significant role, the visual presentation takes on an increasingly prominent position. The YouTube channel Scholar Nomads seeks to expand its horizons, exploring diverse areas of interest. Both the blog and vlog will feature film reviews and explore fresh styles, offering even more intriguing content to viewers and readers alike.

Release date: 15th November 2024
Running time: 134 minutes
Directed by: Vishnu Vinay
Starring: Arjun Ashokan, Aparna Das, Sangita Madhavan Nair, Saiju Kurup, Siddique, Dhyan Sreenivasan, Aju Varghese

<<< Click here to go to the previous review.

<<< Click here to go to the previous Malayalam film review.

@ Cemetery Watch
✠ The Vampire Bat.

Venom 3

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Vampire Owl: I have always believed in the capability of Venom to be a future vampire.

Vampire Bat: We are not taking applications from aliens right now.

Vampire Owl: So, we are receiving applications from the demons, but not aliens.

Vampire Bat: There are exceptions when both are just the same.

Vampire Owl: It was first talked about by Doctor Frankenstein, right?

Vampire Bat: I am sure that Mr Frankenstein had nothing to do with it.

Vampire Owl: He is the greatest scientist of the realm, and he has something to do every time.

Vampire Bat: He creates fiction works out of nothing really well.

Vampire Owl: So, you think that great discoveries can only be fictional.

Vampire Bat: Well, there is realistic fiction, but not in his case.

Vampire Owl: You fail to have respect for such great men.

Vampire Bat: If he is a great man, there is not much to say about greatness.

Vampire Owl: You should stop even talking about him. He has ears everywhere.

Vampire Bat: I know that he can do nothing.

Vampire Owl: He has not come this far by doing nothing in his eventful life.

Vampire Bat: Creating that useless Frankenstein monster do not count.

Vampire Owl: Not all monsters are forever.

Vampire Bat: Yet, we are immortals and monsters for humans.

Vampire Owl: Yet, that was one fine monster of science.

Vampire Bat: Science itself is a monster and murderer of many species.

Vampire Owl: Do you feel that it is soon bringing the apocalypse here too?

Vampire Bat: That is indeed a nearby possibility, not a distant one.

Vampire Owl: So, the humans will kill themselves and even take us with them to the grave.

Vampire Bat: We have come out of the grave. It is our chance to live again and again.

[Gets a box with cheese popcorn and three cups of ginger tea and moves into theatre].

Vampire Owl: The series remains a fine one, but I am not sure about this particular entry.

Vampire Bat: There was a lot more that a Venom movie could do.

Vampire Owl: This is basically supposed to be an epic conclusion.

Vampire Bat: Well, for this to be epic, there should have been such grandeur and a classic final battle, and in both cases, the movie struggles.

Vampire Owl: The battles here, despite scoring in between, often becomes a struggle.

Vampire Bat: It reminds me of X-Men: Days of the Future Past, where the mutants had no chance of survival against the newly created robots and keep dying. The case is the same with the symbiotes facing these monsters.

Vampire Owl: The performances have been really good though, especially from Tom Hardy.

Vampire Bat: Juno Temple also has a certain amount of mystery running through.

Vampire Owl: The different symbiotes seem to have a variety of attributes too.

Vampire Bat: The terror brought by the ruination of humans continues to work.

Vampire Owl: This time, there is a fine villain, but does not come to the front enough. He keeps sitting there like a hermit when imprisoned.

Vampire Bat: The terror of infinity of villains from space never ceases to amaze us.

Vampire Owl: Well, the idea that varieties of hell might me somewhere in space keeps everyone going to discover more out there through unparalleled creativity.

Vampire Bat: You are going back to the good old computer games in outer space. We remember even those shooting tournaments in other worlds of space, don’t we?

Vampire Owl: And those game to movie adaptations with Resident Evil scoring the highest with those box-office collections and never-ending fame.

Vampire Bat: You were not that much of a fan of those particular adaptions, and fought against the creation of game-based movies.

Vampire Owl: We see all these aliens, different types, coming right out of space, and symbiotes and transformers are only a few of them.

Vampire Bat: The human imagination has been everywhere these days, wandering through the stranger worlds and often not making that much of sense.

Vampire Owl: Human creativity has been messed up whenever sequels are involved.

Vampire Bat: Still, the details on the creatures are good, and the powerful villain leaves scope for more in the future.

Vampire Owl: There is no future for humanity and this film is supposed to be the end.

Vampire Bat: But we see the possibility for continuation in the end with the post-credits scene.

Vampire Owl: In a world where humans are bigger monsters than symbiotes, there is the infinite possibility of evil to bring new movies.

Vampire Bat: Well, Venom needs fear factor with humour, and the second one somewhat works in this particular movie.

Vampire Owl: I keep wondering why this movie could not improve from the previous movie, even when there were so many deviations that could have been chosen.

[Disappears into the darkness of the day because the clouds have done the trick, and awaits the darkest bloody night of the week].

Release date: 25th October 2024
Running time: 109 minutes
Directed by: Kelly Marcel
Starring: Tom Hardy, Chiwetel Ejiofor, Juno Temple, Rhys Ifans, Stephen Graham, Peggy Lu, Clark Backo, Alanna Ubach, Andy Serkis

<<< Click here to go to the previous review.

<<< Click here to go to the previous English film review.

@ Cemetery Watch
✠ The Vampire Bat.

Stree 2

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Vampire Owl: What do you know about this particular demon?

Vampire Bat: I can say nothing because I did not see the first part.

Vampire Owl: There are no demons that you do not know.

Vampire Bat: There are witches that I do not know.

Vampire Owl: This one has a witch at the centre, that too a good-looking one?

Vampire Bat: There is a lot of magic in here, and for that, we can use witches.

Vampire Owl: Magic and monsters are not always related.

Vampire Bat: You are talking about the monsters of science.

Vampire Owl: We have left that one with Alien Romulus. Even with the possibility of advanced necromancy.

Vampire Bat: Science has the bigger monsters, especially of this age. The demons from outer space could make an entry

Vampire Owl: The vampires of science are also there.

Vampire Bat: Vampires will never be related to science. They are exact opposites, like the white and black witches from the other side.

Vampire Owl: Dr. Frankenstein has made sure about that with his research which has no parallel in this world or the other including the shadow world.

Vampire Bat: Well, we do not need to go back to that pseudo doctor.

Vampire Owl: You earlier called Mr. Frankenstein a pseudo scientist.

Vampire Bat: I cannot wait to see that man being thrown out of laboratory.

Vampire Owl: You continue to be disrespectful to him, despite the great inventions which he has made for our people instead of those evil humans.

Vampire Bat: I do not have a reason not to be so.

Vampire Owl: Well, you will soon find his greatest invention above your head.

Vampire Bat: What would that be? A cap? A hat? A cloud of blood?

Vampire Owl: You will know soon enough after watching this movie.

Vampire Bat: This is our first movie in any Forum Mall.

Vampire Owl: And the newest Forum Mall which seems to be the best-looking shopping mall in the whole area.

Vampire Bat: Well, we have finally found the time. We were too busy to live in the last few months, but this time, we are all prepared to watch an interesting movie in one of the best multiplexes in the city right now. The fate has played well to bring us help.

[Gets a box with cheese popcorn and three chocolates and moves into theatre].

Vampire Owl: The strength of folktale is displayed so well.

Vampire Bat: The horror elements have blended nicely with the comedy.

Vampire Owl: Unlike Romancham, this is really a horror comedy.

Vampire Bat: Some elements seem forced, but seem to work even then.

Vampire Owl: Folktale has no limits, I would say, as we have seen where it has gained followers.

Vampire Bat: The original tale providing inspiration seems to be from Karnataka.

Vampire Owl: Yet, there are changes, and those seem to work well too.

Vampire Bat: Rajkummar Rao is indeed the actor to look out for yet again.

Vampire Owl: And Shraddha Kapoor blends in really well.

Vampire Bat: Among the next generation of actresses, she is indeed the best.

Vampire Owl: Pankaj Tripathi adds to the funny side really well, and some of the best moments seem to come from his side.

Vampire Bat: The supporting cast of Abhishek Banerjee and Aparshakti Khurana works well too, especially with the humour.

Vampire Owl: This universe seems to be interesting like the one which has reached Leo.

Vampire Bat: Yet, we understand everything without having watched the first movie.

Vampire Owl: The tale of the headless ghost sounds like something we know.

Vampire Bat: We remember Sleepy Hollow, but that one had the headless horseman.

Vampire Owl: Well, we can always be headless in our journeys like being fangless.

Vampire Bat: Vampires die without their heads, and a stake is not always a necessity.

Vampire Owl: Oh! I almost ended up donating mine to a noble cause.

Vampire Bat: You are one strange vampire, aren’t you?

Vampire Owl: Not as strange as the unexpected werewolf in this movie.

Vampire Bat: They are our immortal enemies, but is on the good side in this movie.

Vampire Owl: That was one extra cameo which seemed to be added just for the universe.

Vampire Bat: The terror feels real, and the addition of humour only makes things better. The ending seems to have the scope to offer more with a possible sequel.

Vampire Owl: So much of supernatural makes me feel better.

Vampire Bat: There were still times when this one could have had those grand moments.

Vampire Owl: The ending also feels too usual for our taste.

Vampire Bat: The final moments have us so close to inferno which seems to be the final terrifying destination to remember.

Vampire Owl: There is no hell that matches the basement of the castle. The area which burns like no other in a world of chaos.

Vampire Bat: We use that area for frying our chicken, and molten lava has been added in the last few years to bring more heat.

Vampire Owl: You mean there are Vampire Chicken? They have been present here all the time?

Vampire Bat: No, there is no immortal chicken yet. There have been applications, but none has been accepted yet by Uncle Dracula.

Vampire Owl: It is a good thing. Otherwise, Chicken Biryani would suffer in all territories, and there would be no great food towards infinity.

Vampire Bat: Shraddha Kapoor makes the favourite demon, that much I can assure you for now.

[Disappears into the darkness of the day with bats bringing the cover, as a feeling of night seems to come in].

This is the YouTube video with the fifth film review there. The video reviews have had the focus by attracting more viewers, and tries to make interesting comments about the selected movies. The writing will also go on through its path, but the visual side also has its say more than ever, as the YouTube channel “Scholar Nomads” intends to explore more areas of interest. For both blog and vlog, there will be film reviews and even more to be seen with new styles.

Release date: 15th August 2024
Running time: 149 minutes
Directed by: Amar Kaushik
Starring: Rajkummar Rao, Shraddha Kapoor, Pankaj Tripathi, Abhishek Banerjee, Aparshakti Khurana, Atul Srivastava, Mushtaq Khan, Sunita Rajwar, Anya Singh, Arvind Bilgaiyan, Bhoomi Rajgor, Sunil Kumar, Aakash Dabhade, Simran Sharma, Ajay Pal, Mustaqueem Khan, Badriprasad Chavan, Vipasha Arvind, Tamannaah Bhatia (cameo), Akshay Kumar (cameo), Varun Dhawan (cameo), Amar Kaushik (cameo)

<<< Click here to go to the previous review.

@ Cemetery Watch
✠ The Vampire Bat.

ARM

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Vampire Owl: What do you know about the Vampire Arm?

Vampire Bat: This is not really about the Arm of the Vampire.

Vampire Owl: I do know about the secret nuclear weapon known as the Vampire Arm.

Vampire Bat: We are certainly not talking about that magical weapon right now.

Vampire Owl: It was invented by Doctor Frankenstein, right?

Vampire Bat: It is a thing of magic, not science.

Vampire Owl: Mr. Frankenstein missed that opportunity, I see.

Vampire Bat: There is nothing special that a pseudo-doctor can do.

Vampire Owl: You should not disrespect the greatest scientist of our world.

Vampire Bat: Well, he is not even a vampire.

Vampire Owl: We are a free society with a policy of inclusion for all.

Vampire Bat: We are unlike humans who are divided by caste, race, religion and more.

Vampire Owl: I heard that this movie also has similar elements.

Vampire Bat: Well, the division has been with humans all the time.

Vampire Owl: They never had hesitation to even kill their own people.

Vampire Bat: I cannot wait to see the hate displayed in this particular film.

Vampire Owl: There is the certainty of hate when humans are around.

Vampire Bat: And here we watch our first theatre movie outside Kerala.

Vampire Owl: So, you mean to say that Birla Planetarium will not count?

Vampire Bat: That never counted as a real movie.

Vampire Owl: What about that show in Science City?

Vampire Bat: That was never a regular film.

Vampire Owl: We should have watched that Bengali film in Kolkata.

Vampire Bat: Well, we did have just enough time, but not the support of fate.

[Gets a box with caramel popcorn and three ice creams and moves into theatre].

Vampire Owl: The strength of fantasy is displayed so well.

Vampire Bat: The three main characters belonging to three different time periods are portrayed well.

Vampire Owl: Yet, there could have been more focus on the first one, which ends too quickly.

Vampire Bat: Fantasy was to take root and spread during that time, but was not to be seen.

Vampire Owl: Fantasy has not limits, I would say, as we have seen where it has led Hollywood and gained followers from all ages.

Vampire Bat: We are the fans of the genres in other languages, and now we have one of ours executed well.

Vampire Owl: And that too without too much of heroism attributed to the main character.

Vampire Bat: The last character does remind us of someone we might usually see with the helplessness and troubles following him.

Vampire Owl: Well, they have made a fine mix, it seems.

Vampire Bat: It also seems to have borrowed elements from some folk-tales.

Vampire Owl: I have also seen the power of myths and legends on display here.

Vampire Bat: The magic has its own way of dealing with things. Sorcery is often the common part of these worlds.

Vampire Owl: The action is too good, especially with the visuals in support.

Vampire Bat: I am doubtful whether someone other than Tovino could have managed this so well.

Vampire Owl: The three roles and middle one stands out above the rest.

Vampire Bat: And among the leading actress, Surabhi Lakshmi comes out on top.

Vampire Owl: All of a sudden, this became the right fantasy movie.

Vampire Bat: Something to rise above the combinations of myth and history that we have already seen.

Vampire Owl: This is what Odiyan could have been.

Vampire Bat: Even Kayamkulam Kochunni and Mamangam could have been like this.

Vampire Owl: Well, they did not have Tovino for sure.

Vampire Bat: Tovino has been continuously evolving as an actor; we know Minnal Murali well.

Vampire Owl: The romantic side goes through a weaker journey though.

Vampire Bat: That makes the fairy-tale element go out of the equation.

Vampire Owl: Still, this is a “once upon a time” story.

Vampire Bat: Yes, with focus less on the story and more on the rest. There were times when we wondered that this would be a reverse fairy-tale.

Vampire Owl: There are many things that this movie reminds me about, and those reminders are not limited to movies.

Vampire Bat: The computer games are some of them. As long as we remember Prince of Persia and Tomb Raider series which are also movies now. There were more advanced in traps in science fiction movies too.

Vampire Owl: These kinds of traps are rarely seen in Malayalam movies. It seems to show the further evolution of Tovino into something more than the usual action hero of our times.

Vampire Bat: This is an evolution in the right path.

Vampire Owl: We were limited to watching such traps in Hollywood movies only, and now there is the change.

Vampire Bat: Still, one is left with the feeling that there could have been even more.

Vampire Owl: Yet, it works so well as a risky attempt with effectiveness. We do not see that much courage these days among our film-makers.

[Disappears into the darkness of the day with clouds bringing the cover, as drops of rain slowly started pouring down].

This is the YouTube video with the fourth film review there. The video reviews have had the focus by attracting more viewers, and tries to make interesting comments about the selected movies. The writing will also go on through its path, but the visual side also has its say more than ever, as the YouTube channel “Scholar Nomads” intends to explore more areas of interest. For both blog and vlog, there will be film reviews and even more to be seen with new styles.

Release date: 12th September 2024 (Theatre – Onam Release)
Running time: 142 minutes
Directed by: Jithin Laal
Starring: Tovino Thomas, Krithi Shetty, Aishwarya Rajesh Surabhi Lakshmi, Basil Joseph, Aju Varghese, Jagadish, Sanju Sivram, Pramod Shetty, Kabir Duhan Singh, Madhupal, Santhosh Keezhattoor, Rohini, Harish Uthaman, Nisthar Sait, Biju Kuttan, Sudheesh, Parvathi T

<<< Click here to go to the previous review.

@ Cemetery Watch
✠ The Vampire Bat.

Alien: Romulus

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Vampire Owl: Do you remember those days when we watched alien movies and believed in them? Those were the wonderful days with alien fear, right?

Vampire Bat: We still do not deny their existence. Aliens are the kind of creatures who are not limited to any shells.

Vampire Owl: So, we are going with the parallel world theory. We might end up finding some interesting creatures that we are not aware of.

Vampire Bat: We already have that discovery of the shadow world, and so this is also possible.

Vampire Owl: It was discovered by Doctor Frankenstein, right? Isn’t the great scientist responsible for all the great inventions and discoveries?

Vampire Bat: It was discovered by the vampire scouts, not that fake doctor.

Vampire Owl: The scouts just discovered the portal, and Mr. Frankenstein discovered the rest.

Vampire Bat: It was actually a work of fiction on real discoveries.

Vampire Owl: You should know that the shadow demons come from a portal to another planet.

Vampire Bat: Well, these are surely not the same kind of aliens.

Vampire Owl: I have known these aliens since the first movie too.

Vampire Bat: People seem to like the second, but for me, the first scores the best.

Vampire Owl: And the newer versions – Prometheus and Covenant.

Vampire Bat: I would not deny their strength either.

Vampire Owl: So, we will trust them to do well again. As they have always done, making us more and more interested in the franchise which has so many secrets to unveil and worlds to witness.

Vampire Bat: Which is why we take the struggle to find the theatres showing this film.

Vampire Owl: I hope they show this is in more theatres.

Vampire Bat: I am sure that this will survive and go through a long run.

Vampire Owl: Even with those Onam releases coming up?

Vampire Bat: Well, we only a have a few Onam releases this time.

Vampire Owl: So, the biggest names are not releasing their films?

Vampire Bat: That is indeed a surprise, but I feel that they are not.

Vampire Owl: So the biggest Onam release would be ARM: Ajayante Randaam Moshanam.

Vampire Bat: I do not see why it should not be. The fantasy movies also deserve to have their due, not just in the form of magic realism.

[Gets a box with cheese popcorn and three cups of ginger tea and moves into theatre].

Vampire Owl: The series remains a classic indeed and there are not many people who can patiently wait for another sequel.

Vampire Bat: This is why I always trust this franchise. This is indeed a science-fiction marvel that continues from its base so well.

Vampire Owl: The aliens in the such a terrifying atmosphere within a space station serves well.

Vampire Bat: Well, we have the castles and they have space stations and ships. You remember the movie when Dracula actually visited a space ship, and was considered an alien species from a much far away planet.

Vampire Owl: Yet, we are scarier, with a certificate attained from the nearby cemetery.

Vampire Bat: Yet, being in space with nowhere to go brings the terror further.

Vampire Owl: The performances have been really good too.

Vampire Bat: Well, science fiction seems to bring better monsters than the Gothic these days.

Vampire Owl: The monsters from outer space got their merits.

Vampire Bat: The terror brought by the ruination of humans works every time whether as demons of space or of the graves.

Vampire Owl: This time, there was so much of details with the outer space as much as inside. The world has managed to get its due.

Vampire Bat: The terror of infinity of space never ceases to amaze us.

Vampire Owl: Well, the idea of hell might me somewhere in space.

Vampire Bat: You are going back to the good old Doom game.

Vampire Owl: And also its movie adaptations.

Vampire Bat: You were not that much of a fan of those particular adaptions. You were always against games being made into movies, even though you did not considered the same vice versa to be that much a negative thing.

Vampire Owl: Well, these genres are all mixed, and we see the demons in space, gods in space, aliens in mythology and humans everywhere.

Vampire Bat: The human imagination is basically everywhere these days. You look at them imagining the impossible, the beautiful and the absurd, all coming out of the same brain that fails to stop being creative, sometimes even for the wrong reasons.

Vampire Owl: How many aliens did you count? How many were killed by those guns? Did too many of them manage to escape.

Vampire Bat: They come in hordes, like the zombies and werewolves, as if a witch or sorcerer is controlling them with a magic wand.

Vampire Owl: There are still some repetitions and reminders of earlier movies.

Vampire Bat: Yes, they still work effectively enough. Movies like these would require some repetition as these are the right elements that make the franchise better.

Vampire Owl: In a world where viewers fear humans more than monsters will this work well enough? Do they count as scary enough in comparison?

Vampire Bat: Well, with so many effective scares, yes. They keep the franchise going, strong and sharp as they are intended to be.

Vampire Owl: This has surely worked well with the scares for me.

[Disappears into the darkness of the day because the clouds have done the trick, and awaits the darkest night of the week].

This is the third YouTube video dealing with film review. The movie has been reviewed as part of a vlog below, and with the YouTube Channel Scholar Nomads gaining the advantage, there is always much more to be said.

Release date: 23rd August 2024 (Theatre)
Running time: 119 minutes
Directed by: Fede Alvarez
Starring: Cailee Spaeny, David Jonsson, Archie Renaux, Isabela Merced, Spike Fearn, Aileen Wu

<<< Click here to go to the previous review.

@ Cemetery Watch
✠ The Vampire Bat.

Totally Killer

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Vampire Owl: We never really have people being called total killers.

Vampire Bat: There is no real total killer as you cannot kill them all.

Vampire Owl: There is always some species getting wiped out in different worlds.

Vampire Bat: One species in one world is never really total.

Vampire Owl: I am talking about complete extinction here.

Vampire Bat: There will always be smarter species surviving.

Vampire Owl: I wonder if serial killers can represent a smarter species.

Vampire Bat: Some of the serial killers of cinema just never die.

Vampire Owl: These humans make supernatural out of the unnecessary.

Vampire Bat: Such creations of humans will cause the final fall.

[Gets a kulfi shake and three cups of Wayanad tea].

What is the movie about? :: In a small town named Vernon, three girls aged sixteen were killed in 1987, giving rise to the pseudonym Sweet Sixteen Killer as they were also stabbed sixteen times. Many years later, the rebellious teenager Jamie Hughes (Kiernan Shipka) is going to a concert with her friend Amelia Creston (Kelcey Mawema) on a Halloween night. Her mother stays back at home during the night and finds herself facing someone dressed as Sweet Sixteen Killer. Even though many people had dressed in the same way for Halloween, this one seems different and ends up killing her. As Jamie remains depressed about the death, a local reporter named Chris Dubusage (Jonathan Potts) who was close to her mother tells her that there was a message about murdering her mother found in her locker room a long time ago. She is confused about it as her mother never really talked about something like that before. Soon, she is also stalked and chased by the killer, and ends up in side a time machine which Amelia was building, only to find her transported to the past, in 1987 when the three sixteen-year-old girls were going to be killed.

So, what happens with the events here as we just keep looking? :: She decides that she will try to stop the killer from murdering the girls, which can end the spree early, and her mother would not get killed later. She finds her mother Pam Miller (Olivia Holt) is a bully at the institution, and so are her friends Tiffany Clark (Liana Liberato), Marisa Song (Stephi Chin-Salvo) and Heather Hernandez (Anna Diaz) who become the victims of the killer in future. Nobody seems to believe her, especially the police. She is able to somewhat convince Amelia’s mother Lauren Creston (Troy L Johnson) and Doug Summers (Nathaniel Appiah) whom everyone avoids as a nerd. She manages to get into the party which was hosted by Tiffany, but is not able to stop the murderer. Jamie uses this situation to take the friends away from the town, but they end up in the exact location where the next murder took place. Now, the question remains if they can stop these murders from taking place, and what all has already changed in the future due to her intervention is yet to be understood.

The defence of Totally Killer :: In a world where slasher movies are struggling and adding humour to horror is eternally difficult, we have a good attempt here. The beginning is really good, as we get the idea what we are to deal with. The journey to the past comes as a pleasant surprise when not expected, and the world detail of the past is interesting. We are provided with some interesting surprises in between, as both the past and the future has the alterations from what we had expected them to be. The movie talks about time travel, Mandela Effect and other things with ease, blending these elements into the horror slasher world nicely. The feeling of danger is always there with this movie, as we await the arrival of the serial killer every time. We are also left with hope to have a sequel to this one, as time travel itself is enough to make that reality which has created new sets of serial killers. This is going to remind us of other slashers, but in doing the same, the movie has managed well with the addition of humour to its strengths.

The claws of flaw :: There were so many chances that this particular movie do not take. It could have surely made the whole setup better, as the science fiction elements are also there to be used along with the idea of creating another serial killer to remember like Halloween and the other slashers which have continued to come with never-ending sequels. The movie also seems to show the 1980s to be not that good a time period to live in, which would be a surprise. The murderer should have also had more focus, and the deaths do not get that much of a detail as one would have wanted as a fan of the genre. There is predictability in between and the movie does not leave many memorable moments. It could have had a better power of mystery and a killer who should haunt rather than come up in the usual circumstances. A serial killer like this should be like a supernatural being, even if not that much invisible – a murderer lurking in the shadows is not available with this one. The ending seems to be more forced than a genuine attempt at making the situation different in the new timeline.

The performers of the soul :: Kiernan Shipka has a fine run as the scream queen, even though the character comes up with an irritating side at times. We would love to see her in more horror movies, contributing naturally. At the same time, Olivia Holt blends into the 1980s very well, and she is no less scream queen. Julie Bowen who plays the adult version of the same character has a pretty good run here too. Troy L Johnson in the past also gets our attention. Among the friends’ characters, it is Liana Liberato who grabs our attention the most even if she is there for the least minutes among them. We can see her performing in more horror movies, and that would be part of the things we hope. Stephi Chin-Salvo and Anna Diaz blends in as the victims quite well too. Ella Choi comes in and contributes to the whole thing in an interesting way. Zach Gibson and Nathaniel Appiah gets in there with a nerdy touch. Jonathan Potts’ character leaves an impact as the man chasing mysteries. Charlie Gillespie and Lochlyn Munro adds on as same characters’ different versions.

How it finishes :: The movie maintains its funny side as well as the horror in the form of combination of genres. It reminds us that slasher movies are not done, and there can be more, often with a touch of humour. With horror genre losing its strongholds, this movie comes up as some surprise fun, even though not that much effective in its use of resources. It leaves a few elements without explanations as the journey away from science fiction elements feels too far away. But you know that you are this far into the century that the old-style slashers are not so easy to find. Some of the creators of slashers of our times struggle to understand what the main elements that the genre should possess. Considering the same, this movie has done a fine job. Yet, we are left with the question if the old classic slasher can be brought back to life – even the Evil Dead has been weakened in Evil Dead Rise and it is to be seen how far can the genre go.

Release date: 6th October 2023 (Amazon Prime Video)
Running time: 106 minutes
Directed by: Nahnatchka Khan
Starring: Kiernan Shipka, Olivia Holt, Charlie Gillespie, Lochlyn Munro, Troy L. Johnson, Liana Liberato, Kelcey Mawema, Stephi Chin Salvo, Anna Diaz, Ella Choi, Jeremy Monn-Djasgnar, Nathaniel Appiah, Jonathan Potts, Randall Park, Julie Bowen

<<< Click here to go to the previous review.

@ Cemetery Watch
✠ The Vampire Bat.

Blue Beetle

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Vampire Owl: So, are we looking for a Vampire Beetle?

Vampire Bat: Beetles are too small to be transformed into vampires.

Vampire Owl: Well, they can be trained to bite people secretly.

Vampire Bat: We are vampires. We can bite people publicly in our territory.

Vampire Owl: Beetles can infiltrate other territories for our people.

Vampire Bat: We are not in war with any other territories.

Vampire Owl: With the exception of werewolves, zombies and witches.

Vampire Bat: The witches will identify a vampire from miles away.

Vampire Owl: With the right amount of magic, the beetle can go through.

Vampire Bat: No, we have always preferred resistance to magic.

[Gets a vancho cake and three cups of elaichi tea].

What is the movie about? :: Jaime Reyes (Xolo Mariduena) is a recent graduate from college in law who comes back to his home after a long time, only to find that his family is going to be evicted from where they have been staying. His parents Alberto Reyes (Damian Alcazar) and Rocio Reyes (Elpidia Carrillo) more than just happy to see him again, and are glad to be together as a family and asserts that they would solve this as one as they have always done with their troubles. His sister Milagro Reyes (Belissa Escobedo) finds both of them a job at a mansion and resort owned by Victoria Kord (Susan Sarandon), the CEO of Kord Industries. He comes across a heated argument between her and her niece Jenny Kord (Bruna Marquezine) about the company which was earlier headed by Jenny’s missing father manufacturing dangerous weapons able to trigger a third world war. As Jaime intervenes, Victoria immediately fires him and his sister. But Jenny asks him to meet her at the Kord Tower on the very next day to discuss the possibility of a job opportunity.

So, what happens with the events here as we just keep looking? :: Victoria has been using an ancient alien artifact known only as Scarab for her One Man Army Corps (OMAC) projects creating a large number of super-soldiers. Jenny steals the same and hides it inside a burger box which she gives to Jaime who arrived there to see her, as she runs away while being chased by the security after the alarm is set off. As Jaime opens the box, the Scarab activates and fuses with his body. Jaime is not able to control what the Scarab is doing as it forms an exoskeleton on his body, leading him to search for Jenny for answers. They decide to infiltrate Kord Tower again to retrieve a smart watch that belonged to Jenny’s father, only to find them being attacked by Ignacio Carapax (Raoul Max Trujillo) who is a cyborg-like soldier serving as Victoria’s personal bodyguard and meant to lead the future group of super-soldiers. They just manage to escape from there, but can they make sure that the OMAC never gets built? Can they stop Victoria before she brings the war to everyone?

The defence of Blue Beetle :: It can be seen that Blue Beetle becomes another movie that focuses on the superhero of the family, something which would make the Fast and Furious franchise proud. This particular focus on family makes sure that there is a lot of heart associated with the movie, and the feel-good also has a role to play. This also leads to the assurance that there will be an emotional side that runs strong in between. The action sequences are really good, even when not done in a grand mode – the battles are never really overdone, and controlled within the possibilities of the main characters. With its family-friendly content, it is the kind of movie which one can watch with the whole family and enjoy without second thoughts. The skill to keep the world not that complicated, can also be appreciated, as we can smoothly go through this one, and yet the movie does not compromise on quality. The final moments also assure the possibility of a sequel which can follow with a grand sequence of proceedings, expanding the world by a long way. This is the movie which surely deserved better reception in the theatres, and the funny side is also pretty good.

The claws of flaw :: There can be no doubt about the fact that this movie could have done better with the action and the use of antagonists. The visuals could have created better detail with the battle suits as well as the special effects during combat. The predictability factor does have its presence in this movie, and very often, this is the superhero movie that follows the usual procedure – often resembling movies outside Marvel and DC Extended Universes too. One cannot be blamed for making the wish to watch something divergent, as Marvel has done most of the things possible with the worlds of superheroes already, and ending a wave of grandeur well with Avengers: Infinity War and Avengers: Endgame. There are so many DC movies which have deserved better, including Black Adam, and Blue Beetle sadly did not do that well at the box-office, but we hope that the same will be watched more in the OTT platform. A good viewership there would be the reminder that this is one movie which is much more than what the box-office numbers say.

The performers of the soul :: Xolo Mariduena makes the character of Blue Beetle a fun watch, and he works with the bonding with family as well as the superpowers really well. The Brazilian actress Bruna Marquezine plays the female lead here, and makes a good point to become an action heroine running through DC Extended Universe, as the character is left with lot of options. We never really have enough billionaires who can help the superheroes in their work, unless the hero gets to be among the richest people around. We have always remembered Elpidia Carrillo in relation to an original Predator and Arnold Schwarzenegger hunting as well as being hunted, and it is good to see her around here. Damian Alcazar makes a lovely father figure here, while Adriana Barraza adds on as the grandmother in style. Susan Sarandon is pretty much an interesting antagonist, while Raoul Max Trujillo makes the nemesis who gets all the action sequences to perform. George Lopez also makes a fine impact here while Belissa Escobedo adds to the family well.

How it finishes :: Blue Beetle might feel like Antman from a distance, but we know that they are not similar as it begins and gets the first interesting sequences. It really deserved to be a grand success with the content that never ceases to be entertaining. In the DC Extended Universe, this particular superhero has the chance to be something big, but considering the lack of success of this film might have blocked that opportunity – I would find that choice of audience surprising though, as the strangest of superheroes have done better, and Deadpool might be the weirdest that deserved no big attention. The movie here could have brought more though, and if there is no sequel, that cannot be achieved – this is that kind of a film which can broaden its scope by a long way. We would remain hopeful against a future with a sequel, and at the same time, consider this as an interesting origin story. Until then, we enjoy this movie, and consider this particular superhero as someone who can rise even above some of the well-known superheroes.

Release date: 18th August 2023
Running time: 127 minutes
Directed by: Angel Manuel Soto
Starring: Xolo Mariduena, Bruna Marquezine, Adriana Barraza, Damian Alcazar, Raoul Max Trujillo, Susan Sarandon, George Lopez, Elpidia Carrillo

<<< Click here to go to the previous review.

@ Cemetery Watch
✠ The Vampire Bat.

Little Hearts

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Vampire Owl: Do you remember those days when we were eating Little Hearts without limits? Those were the most approved biscuits.

Vampire Bat: Those were the days of fine nostalgia. We were not even limited to Little Hearts as we continued lives focused on the little moments of joy.

Vampire Owl: So, they have named a movie after a packet of biscuits. It is a good idea to keep the focus on the food.

Vampire Bat: On the greatest packet of biscuits that we will ever know. Not just us, the greatest that humans will ever know.

Vampire Owl: So, you mean to say that the greatest of them all is not Bourbon or Hide and Seek with those classic looks?

Vampire Bat: There is nothing that matches Little Hearts, and there are not many that matches the old model of Milk Bikis.

Vampire Owl: I am assuming that you are going through a biscuit induced nostalgia, not focused on tea for a change.

Vampire Bat: Well, we have been among the people who have eaten so much of biscuits that we are close to breaking records.

Vampire Owl: We have also waited for this movie to release for a little too long.

Vampire Bat: Well, the first proposed date of release was much earlier.

Vampire Owl: The release should have happened during the vacation.

Vampire Bat: Well, the holidays had seen some strange films creating records with collections.

Vampire Owl: I will never know how these new generation and mindless movies make so much of collection.

Vampire Bat: Well, human taste has always been strange.

Vampire Owl: Trusting their taste is the strangest thing a vampire can do.

Vampire Bat: At least the trailer of this movie did a pretty good job in making an impression.

Vampire Owl: You know that making a trailer is often too easy a job if there is not that much of a content to show in the full film

[Gets a box with tomato popcorn and three cups of cardamom tea and moves into theatre].

Vampire Owl: This is an interesting movie, even though there is no attempt at variety. It goes on well, as if it was just determined to move on.

Vampire Bat: After RDX: Robert Dony Xavier and Vela, Shane Nigam seems to have quite a different role here and has nailed this one too.

Vampire Owl: Shane Nigam and Mahima Nambiar team has returned as a pair quite well, even though latter should have been there for more.

Vampire Bat: Well, the romantic side of Shane and Mahima has the least focus among the romances shown in this movie.

Vampire Owl: The three romances here face problems due to different reasons, and none of them seems to be ready to be accepted by the society.

Vampire Bat: Well society, economic well-being and sexuality will always have roles to play in the society forever.

Vampire Owl: Well, I would say that these are rather eternal, like Uncle Dracula.

Vampire Bat: The tale of Baburaj and his relationship with the son played by Shane Nigam makes the biggest impact though.

Vampire Owl: Yes, with both the humour as well as the emotional side has been managed so well, reminding one of those early days of moving into humour from villainy.

Vampire Bat: Yet, it could not further develop on the same, and manages to travel just on the usual and predictable path.

Vampire Owl: The feel-good path is the one road too much travelled, and without trying too much to make things better.

Vampire Bat: There are still those moments with Little Hearts packets, and there is the certainty of tea being shown again and again.

Vampire Owl: The one who played the migrant worker from the North really did a great job, and brings humour being second only to Baburaj. Yet, rest of the humour goes through a struggle at times.

Vampire Bat: Shane’s avatar in a different style works well, even though he should have more of romantic side with Mahima. The deviation was not that much needed, at least with this much of an effect.

Vampire Owl: Well, even in their previous movie together, they had parted way too soon. At least with the feel-good mode one, that would not happen.

Vampire Bat: For the same, it seems that the end was forced to reach that destination of feel-good for the common soul.

Vampire Owl: In a world of viewers where they are strangely addicted to drugs and alcohol like never before, can we ever have enough feel-good?

Vampire Bat: Can you blame them with so many superstars trying to put them into a world of nonsense far away from a righteous reality?

Vampire Owl: Well, I would trust this simple feel-good film with nice green visuals and some interesting songs which are there to stay for long. There is no real danger in the happenings of this one, and the light-hearted side keeps the darkness away.

[Disappears into the darkness of the day because the clouds have done the trick to hide the sun and bring the much needed darkness].

This is the YouTube video with the second film review there. The video reviews have had the focus since the last one, and tries to make interesting comments about the selected movies. The writing will also go on through its path, but the visual side also has its say more than ever, as the YouTube channel “Scholar Nomads” intends to explore more areas of interest. For both blog and vlog, there will be films reviews and even more to be seen.

Release date: 7th June 2024 (Theatre)
Running time: 134 minutes
Directed by: Anto Jose Pereira and Aby Treesa Paul
Starring: Shane Nigam, Shine Tom Chacko, Baburaj, Mahima Nambiar, Renji Panicker, Shammi Thilakan, Jaffer Idukki, Aima Rosmy Sebastian, Ramya Suvi, Maala Parvathy, Parvathy Babu, John Kaippallil

<<< Click here to go to the previous film review.

<<< Click here to go to the previous romantic film review.

<<< Click here to go to the review of our first favourite film of the year.

<<< Click here to go to the review of the most underrated film of the year.

@ Cemetery Watch
✠ The Vampire Bat.

Thalavan

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Vampire Owl: So, you are going to do a video film review this time. How did we come to that from all the series of long writings which never seemed get even close to finishing?

Vampire Bat: Well, the YouTube channel has started. More videos are to be done. Otherwise, we will be left far behind.

Vampire Owl: So, something related to cinema has to be done?

Vampire Bat: Yes, we have travelled through other areas of interest already. There should be no area where we cannot touch.

Vampire Owl: So, the channel, Scholar Nomads has gone through multiple worlds? The different realms where strange creatures thrive?

Vampire Bat: It is interdimensional. It talks not just about cinema. The YouTube channel is like a creature of multiple worlds seeking energy and sustaining in all of them.

Vampire Owl: I am assuming that there is a lot of travel involved. You have been the best-known vampire traveler in our history.

Vampire Bat: Well, travel has always been a top priority among video makers. There is just no time travel in this particular channel though.

Vampire Owl: I am also confident that it will have literature. What is a Vampire Bat without language and literature in any form?

Vampire Bat: Yes, literature, as well as food journeys and cooking are part of it. I am still extending my world as we know it.

Vampire Owl: Well, I agree to the fact that you deserve more support. You have worked hard in the online human world for so long.

Vampire Bat: I am not going to get that because there are too many celebrities out there. Whatever they do, they get the support, and even if they do nothing, they gather the same.

Vampire Owl: I know a few computerized vampires through Uncle Dracula. We will try to get some subscribers and regular viewers.

Vampire Bat: There have not been enough vampires in the cyber world to be of support to an undead cause – not even Dark Elves could gather that.

Vampire Owl: You have been a faithless vampire for rather too long. You should understand that this goes against our ideology of faith, belief and hope.

Vampire Bat: I am just having some travel fatigue just like last week. I was almost dead last week and had to use two and half coffins for rest.

Vampire Owl: You traveled from one castle to the other within one forest which makes less than twenty-five kilometres.

[Gets a vegetable samosa and three cups of masala tea and moves into theatre].

Vampire Owl: This is undoubtedly a fine movie. It deserves more audience than it has managed to have in these theatres.

Vampire Bat: I am sure that this is better than the other bigger grossing films which have come during this leap year.

Vampire Owl: Those movies run due to superstars or fake word-of-mouth. Some people manage to turn the fake side to something more.

Vampire Bat: It is a shame that 2018 is no longer the highest grossing Malayalam movie. It had always deserved to stay at the top as one movie that is close to human hearts, inspiring them to survive against all possible odds.

Vampire Owl: And it is further shame when we understand what kind of movies overtake it in a disappointing manner – a terrible beauty indeed.

Vampire Bat: Then we have those mindless action, comedy and romance doing well. This seems to be the pattern this year.

Vampire Owl: Well, human taste has gone down the drains these days.

Vampire Bat: But at least we can support movies like this, and Anveshippin Kandethum and Abraham Ozler – two thrillers which will stay in memory for long. Then there are those even older thrillers which have made a mark, a group led by Memories and Drishyam.

Vampire Owl: Yes, this is a movie powered by performances. The thrillers have seen the best performances in the last few years.

Vampire Bat: Biju Menon and Asif Ali have done some really good job as the protagonists. They play two police officers who are not perfect, but are indeed straightforward. They have their egos and cannot stand each other, but need to come together in the end to solve a case, or it will cause the worst for the department itself.

Vampire Owl: Then they are not superhero-like officers who randomly beat up everyone because the dumb fans will like to see that.

Vampire Bat: And the supporting cast is a nice one, and unlike those big grossers, women also get something to do around here. Those big grossers had denied the existence of actresses. Then there are those superstars who seem to deny the existence of everyone else.

Vampire Owl: Then the twists are so well-managed, for we would not guess them that easily. And the final twist works even better. The villain is not someone whom we had expected, as so many other suspects were there to be taken.

Vampire Bat: Well, we are given those red herrings, and the divergence that comes in between works like a dream.

Vampire Owl: Thrillers in Malayalam have always deserved better due to their grand quality and memorable serial killers; more accolades would do.

Vampire Bat: Well, humans relate to strange things which are less real than we are. They do not realize the evil within them and the inherent terror.

Vampire Owl: They are strangely addicted to romance, drugs and alcohol, considering them to be forever to guide their lives.

Vampire Bat: Can you blame them when so many films show these terrible things to be feared as things of greatness?

Vampire Owl: They will need a cautionary warning to be displayed every time. These humans are too young a species to know. In a few centuries, if they continue to exist, they will know more about all of these in detail.

[Disappears into the darkness of the night because both are more nocturnal than ever].

This is the YouTube video with the first film review there.

Release date: 24th May 2024 (Theatre)
Running time: 131 minutes
Directed by: Jis Joy
Starring: Biju Menon, Asif Ali, Miya George, Anusree, Joji John, Dileesh Pothan, Jaffar Idukki, Shankar Ramakrishnan, Ranjith, Kottayam Nazeer, Bilas Chandrahasan

<<< Click here to go to the previous film review.

<<< Click here to go to the film review before that.

@ Cemetery Watch
✠ The Vampire Bat.

The Pope’s Exorcist

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Vampire Owl: They shall never dare to exorcise us.

Vampire Bat: Why should they try to do that? We never possess bodies.

Vampire Owl: Yet, they wish to get rid of horror with the same methods.

Vampire Bat: We are the least terrifying group of supernatural.

Vampire Owl: We are both super and natural in nature.

Vampire Bat: Yet, our demonic side cannot be exorcised.

Vampire Owl: So, there is no need for a vampire exorcist?

Vampire Bat: He might end up making us more human, that’s all.

Vampire Owl: That would be the most depressing thing in my life.

Vampire Bat: It would also be incredibly evil in nature.

[Gets a choco-marble cake and three cups of Munnar tea].

What is the movie about? :: Gabriele Amorth (Russell Crowe) has been serving as Pope’s personal exorcist in 1980s. One day, in 1987, he chooses to visit an Italian village where a man is said to be possessed by a demon. With the help of the local priest, he manages to use a Saint Benedict Medal to make the demon possess a pig and get it killed with a shotgun. Gabriele had performed this particular exorcism without getting permission from his superiors, which does not prove to be that positive a thing for him. As he did this without the permission of the bishop, there is questioning, and he says that what he did was just helping a mentally ill person. The bishops are not happy, but Amorth continues to do what he does the best. It is then that a family of three, including the recently widowed Julia Vasque (Alex Essoe), her rebellious daughter Amy Vasquez (Laurel Marsden) and the young son Henry Vasquez (Peter DeSouza-Feighoney) travel to Spain from the United States to take possession of a very old Spanish abbey which is located in the middle of nowhere.

So, what happens with the events here as we just keep looking? :: The Pope (Franco Nero) is in support of Gabriele all the time, and believes in his abilities. Restoring this castle and selling it seems to be the only hope for Julia and family, but things do not seem to move that smoothly ahead, as there is an accident and the workers move away. Soon, Henry seems to be acting strange, and there seems to be something supernatural about him as well as the building. The hospital cannot find anything wrong with the boy, but Henry’s condition only gets worse. They approach a priest, but the demon in Henry easily defeats him. This leads to Gabriele being called for an exorcism, and the Pope makes sure that he is the one who gets the chance, as the abbey has some dark history behind it and has given the church problems before. Gabriele who reaches Spain finds the boy only to find the kind of demon that he had never battled before. The demon knows him and also his past, and seems to be able to defend and deceive the priests with ease. Gabriele feels that there is some more sinister plan in the mind of the demon, but can he find it out in time?

The defence of The Pope’s Exorcist :: One could claim that this particular movie is not scary enough, but the fear is there with the ambience and the realization of the presence of inescapable evil that runs right through the film. The Pope’s Exorcist, with its beautiful, abandoned abbey in the middle of nowhere, reminds us of the grand Gothic adventure which was Crimson Peak which had a world of universe running through, rather than coming right out. With the setting always remaining a strong point, the movie also has its moments which shine bright – there are the two ladies from the past, one that eats a bird and falls from the top and the other one which appears instead of the possessed boy in the bed and reappears covered in blood later. Their existence adds the psychological elements of horror in a world which is infested with demons. We do not always need that many monsters as The Cabin in the Woods would provide – we would just need the demons from hell to create that impact of terror that would hesitate to leave us.

Positives and negatives :: The movie also has some humour being provided here and there, but one cannot deny the fact that it could have surely been scarier. The family portrayed here could have been tormented more before the appearance of the exorcist, and mystery could have lived for longer, and nights could have seen terror as a regular part of it. The grand visuals of Spain and Italy will keep us going, and will keep us wishing to travel to those parts of Europe. The emotional side also remains strong, and so is the feeling to keep out of evil. You are reminded that death is only the beginning – you know that hell could be closer than you thought. The special effects add nicely to the Gothic world which has been provided by the abbey, and its works the best in the final moments. Yet, people would not like the fact that the demon of this movie do not reveal its true form and spread terror in all corners of the building – after all, we have so much of the dark beautiful abbey around and so less is explored with the touches of evil.

The performers of the soul :: The movie is driven though a magnificent performance by Russell Crowe which has no match in the form of any exorcist character in the recent past. We go through his emotions and guilt as much as his drive to destroy evil and drive out demons. We have not seen such a work from him in a long time, and if there is a sequel, this would become even more joyful to watch him fight the different demons in various parts of the world. In the beginning, we feel that there would be limitations to the work, but he rises above that with ease. Daniel Zovatto provides some fine support, and he also lives up to the job that is given to him, and keeps getting better with better moments to perform being provided to him. The two makes a fine combination here in a world which brings the supernatural to the light. Alex Essoe plays the desolate mother who just lost her husband and has her children not talking to her, really well – we see her reclaiming her lost faith in a realistic manner. Peter DeSouza-Feighoney gets into the terrifying child role really well. Laurel Marsden plays the rebellious young lady nicely too. The two ladies from the movie’s past, Carrie Munroe and Bianca Bardoe makes some fine terrifying and notable appearances which will stay with us for long.

How it finishes :: In relation to exorcism and the demons, this movie sets a new level of work in its genre that will inspire more of similar works. The way in which it asserts the presence of evil which cannot be understood, and will go to any extent. The movie has surely exceeded the expectations of the common horror fan, as it never came with the hype as it has been attached to The Conjuring, The Nun, Annabelle, Insidious, Ouija, Sinister and the others. It also leaves us with a lot of anticipation for a possible sequel, and its base on real events makes the whole thing even stronger. The ending makes us feel that bigger things are yet to come with more exorcism and fallen demons sent back to hell. This could actually become a franchise more powerful than the universe of horror that has already been created. The skill to make something out of even the simplest elements of horror can be seen here. As we all know the presence of evil, and it gaining in strength, watching more demons being exorcised adds to the hope for a future of goodness. After all, when facing a demon, horror is not always the most important thing that one needs to confront – there is more.

Release date: 14th April 2023 (Theatre); August 16th 2023 (Netflix)
Running time: 103 minutes
Directed by: Julius Avery
Starring: Russell Crowe, Daniel Zovatto, Alex Essoe, Franco Nero, Peter DeSouza-Feighoney, Laurel Marsden, Cornell John, Ryan O’Grady, Carrie Munroe, Bianca Bardoe

<<< Click here to go to the previous review.

@ Cemetery Watch
✠ The Vampire Bat.

Killer Book Club

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Vampire Owl: This would be an interesting book club.

Vampire Bat: You mean to say that there are new book clubs in the castle.

Vampire Owl: Who reads that many books these days?

Vampire Bat: Well, I do read many of them.

Vampire Owl: I am sure that you do not count as an external reader.

Vampire Bat: I do take external book club cards.

Vampire Owl: You can read all the best horror books in the castle.

Vampire Bat: I would read these books like a non-vampire would do.

Vampire Owl: So, it is a fine method to be scared of vampires too.

Vampire Bat: I do not see why we should not be scared of ourselves.

[Gets a butterscotch cake and three cups of tea with kulfi].

What is the movie about? :: Angela (Veki Velilla) is a college student who wishes to be a critically acclaimed and popular writer, now trying to write her second work. Her professor Antonio Cruzado (Daniel Grao) who used to help her with writing seems to have an infatuation with her, and makes advances to her. As Angela’s friends come to know about it, they suggest that they get back to him, and for the same, they choose a killer clown prank which would leave him scared enough for the rest of his life. The group which includes Sebas (Alvaro Mel), Nando (Ivan Pellicer), Sara (Ane Rot), Rai (Carlos Alcaide), Virginia (Priscilla Delgado), Eva (Maria Cerezuela) and Koldo (Hamza Zaidi), plans the whole thing perfectly after sending a fake e-mail to Antonio. But the prank goes terribly wrong, as they end up causing him to fall down from the top of the building and get impaled on the spear held by a statue of Don Quixote below, leading to his instant death.

So, what happens with the events here as we just keep looking? :: Even though their instant reaction is to blame Angela for what has happened, they decide to keep all of these a secret and make a promise that they would never talk about this to anybody. The very next day, as everyone comes to know about his death, the popular opinion is that he committed suicide as his wife had left him, and the police also goes with the same conclusion, leading them to believe that things will get back to normal. But soon, they find out that a masked killer clown is stalking them, and wishes to take them down one after the other as the person wears the same mask as they were wearing. After murdering each person, the clown would write a chapter about the brutal death and post it online, and the readers also have a chance to vote on who will be murdered next. The readers do not have any idea what this is really about, as the original names are provided. The group decides to stop this madness from continuing, but has no idea about whom to suspect. Is this a silent stalker or someone among them?

The defence of Killer Book Club :: Slasher horror movies are welcome to bring new serial killers into a world of chaos in which humans have never hesitated to kill one another. There have been more classic slashers being produced in almost every language these days, even though Hollywood have come up with less interesting ones in the last few years. This one is based on a book, which means that it has promises to keep for the readers. The visuals are really good, and the setting feels like the right one, including the dark corners inciting horror and the architectural beauty that stays alive. The statue of Don Quixote comes as a fine reminder for the connection between the movie and literature, as the horror itself comes from writings here, and the publication of books and online content remains a priority throughout the film’s run-time. This also remains a short movie, as the run-time works to its advantage. The final twist over the twist remains interesting, and the power of mystery has run through this quite well without giving away the chance at predictability.

The claws of flaw :: Killer Book Club might feel like too similar with many other titles, and following the formula, but not well enough to elevate the same. There are enough murders happening here, but none of them creates a terrifying or divergent impact which could have made the environment better. The scares are not that much present as we would have wanted. A killer in a clown mask can achieve wonders – you know what the clowns do, whether in It and its sequel or in Terrifier; the horror in such cases is of a different level, with blood and gore assured. But this one seems to take the safer route, and the need to take the less travelled path among the diverging roads is not taken into consideration here. You are left with the feeling that there could be more, from the early stages itself. You keep looking for more, but that extra ingredient never really arrives. With the scope for a sequel still there, we can hope that this will arrive later.

The performers of the soul :: Veki Velilla leads the proceedings in the movie, and makes the scream queen who is intended to survive till the end, but has the realization that this has been caused due to her for some other reason, which makes the character more determined. She blends into this situation really well, from the author who has a certain amount of writing block to the girl who wishes to survive in a world of chaos created by an unknown killer. Priscilla Delgado remains a notable presence here too, and contributes to the whole thing even when least expected. Ane Rot and Maria Cerezuela also add to the interesting scream queen list here, and one would love to see them in more of similar flicks. Alvaro Mel and Ivan Pellicer become the main male performers here, and they remain important from the beginning to the end. Daniel Grao, even though present for only a few minutes, also leaves an impact. Carlos Alcaide and Hamza Zaidi also comes in as required. For most of us audience, these new names will be staying.

How it finishes :: Killer Book Club seems to be derived from other slasher horror movies that we have known for a long time, with Scream and The Cabin in the Woods being a few of them. The non-English movies were not far away from such inspiration either, as Poland’s Nobody Sleeps in the Woods Tonight and A Classic Horror Story in Italian along with the Indonesian Ivanna are some of the examples. Here, in Spanish, we have a similar work of slasher horror. The group of friends from a college being murdered one after the other, especially after doing something they were not supposed to do, comes as nothing new. But this one also maintains the entertaining and thrilling side well enough with the final twists to keep things interesting. You are always looking for more addition to slasher horror, as they have not been that easy to create effectively during this time period. Based on the Spanish novel El Club de Los Lectores Criminales by Carlos García Miranda, the films becomes another interesting adaptation which brings us back to watching Spanish movies again on Netflix.

Release date: 25th August 2023 (Netflix)
Running time: 90 minutes
Directed by: Carlos Alonso
Starring: Veki Velilla, Alvaro Mel, Ivan Pellicer, Hamza Zaidi, Ane Rot, Priscilla Delgado, María Cerezuela, Carlos Alcaide

<<< Click here to go to the previous review.

@ Cemetery Watch
✠ The Vampire Bat.

Nowhere

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Vampire Owl: We have always loved nowhere.

Vampire Bat: No place is nowhere for vampires.

Vampire Owl: The witches live in the middle of nowhere.

Vampire Bat: Nowhere is a myth. They live in the very next territory.

Vampire Owl: It is not the same with the Witches of the North.

Vampire Bat: They live in the north. It is why they are called so.

Vampire Owl: The north has always been the true nowhere.

Vampire Bat: An addiction to nowhere can be dangerous.

Vampire Owl: Do you expect demons of nowhere to come through the portal?

Vampire Bat: The portal leads to nowhere as there is no such a place.

[Gets a choco-vanilla cake and three cups of mint tea].

What is the movie about? :: A dystopian situation has emerged in Spain after a global crisis causing shortage of basic necessities, and the new government in the country turning completely totalitarian in nature. Mia (Anna Castillo) and Nico (Tamar Novas) decides to make an escape from the country due to fear for their unborn child, as children, elderly and pregnant women were targeted by the military who tries to eliminate whoever becomes a burden during a time of resource shortage. The decision is to escape to Ireland in container taken on a cargo ship, and for the same, they use every resource that they have with them including money and gold. But they are separated on the way and are left inside two containers with Mia’s container attacked, leaving her as the only survivor. Nico’s container is left outside the city with nowhere to go. Her container gets on the ship after some difficulty, but it falls into the sea as a storm strikes. The container slowly fills up with water, but she manages to keep the process slow with what she can get.

So, what happens with the events here as we just keep looking? :: The container has some materials, but nothing to keep her and the unborn child alive until help arrives. After some difficulty she has contact with Nico who promises to come and help her even though he does not know how. All the other containers have already perished under the sea, taking many people with them. The government continues to take measures to make sure that nobody escapes from the lands or turn against the government with regular checking, which halts the progress of Nico considerably. There would be no revolution coming up to change things around, and there are only a few democracies left in the world. She soon gives birth to a daughter on a stormy night. Injured and weakened like never before, she feels the desperate need to find help from anywhere. At the same time, she realizes that Nico is severely injured and there is no hope for him to come to her, as time runs out for all three of them, and there might also be another storm coming soon.

The defence of Nowhere :: We have the feeling that there is something extraordinary about this movie at times with the work done behind it as much as in front of the camera. The realistic take makes the feeling of danger have more effect, and we keep hoping for the protagonist to do whatever it takes and make it to the end. The visuals within a small world with the support of graphics work so well, and the fear feels so much real with one fine performance in the lead. The movie leaves us with the message of never giving up, and always having hope for a better future. As the husband tells her wife, he would always love her more on the next day and the dialogue is a reminder that those are the better coming days that we need to look out for, in a world of chaos and destruction as humans descend into hatred and ultimate evil. After all, an end of the world scenario after a totalitarian government has not been that distant a probability. We all know that we are quickly moving towards that end.

The claws of flaw :: Nowhere had infinite scope to be the classic that we have all been waiting for. This could have been something of epic proportions. It does not go that long, as we look at it. There is a certain amount of drag here, and it could have been a better movie with the length reduced. The opportunity to create a spectacle is also avoided in the process. When we are dealing with hope trying to inspire further, there should always be something bigger in scope. These are the time when people expect more from survival thrillers, as there have been many of them, from The Shallows to Meander, as different situations have come to us in the last few years testing human willpower to survive. In this particular movie, the protagonist would seem to have the least chance for survival, which makes us wonder if this would be more of a fantasy rather than anything else. The ending also seems to have just meant to finish the job with the required survival.

The performers of the soul :: With Anna Castillo and Tamar Novas as two names that we see everywhere among the cast, and with the former left to deal with the whole thing, there is no doubt about the fact that performances need to come from one side. With her around, the danger and the struggle seem real. Living in a floating and slowly sinking container while at the middle of the sea seems like an idea easy to talk about, but would not be that easy to work with. Tamar Novas also seems to be playing a main character in the beginning, but only have the voice to work with in the later stages. His character seems to be as expendable as the others around there after the first few minutes. It can be seen that Tony Corvillo has a fine evil presence there. During these times, one would wonder if sea is also a character, always listening to the probable victims and taking whoever it can. The container is also more like a living thing that provides life to what lies inside.

How it finishes :: If we keep looking, it is evident that Nowhere basically comes out of nowhere to make an impression. It is the title which most of us have not heard about, but all of a sudden, we feel that we should have heard about it earlier itself. If we read the synopsis of the story in this movie, the same is evident as we develop that sudden interest. This is not something new for the Spanish movies which never ceases to amaze us especially when least expected – there have been many examples for the same from The Platform to Adios, and from Cross the Line to Two and The Wasteland. But it could have still been more of a classic that would stay forever with its content. We can consider this partially as an opportunity missed, and still creating enough impact to become a movie that would be much talked about. The effort here is to be appreciated the most. This is not an idea which is easy to execute, and the result of the effort can be seen here. If you are going to start with good Spanish movies, this will be a fine start.

Release date: 29thSeptember 2023 (Netflix)
Running time: 109 minutes
Directed by: Albert Pinto
Starring: Anna Castillo, Tamar Novas, Tony Corvillo, Irina Bravo, Lucia Soria, Edu Bulnes, Mariam Torres, Victoria, Teijeiro, Mary Ruiz, Antonio Buil, Paula Roy, Jose Lucena, Saorla Wright, Kaabil Sekali, Andrew McGurk, Tonu Sureda Luther, Victor Boira

<<< Click here to go to the previous review.

@ Cemetery Watch
✠ The Vampire Bat.