Tag Archives: escape

Scream 7

Posted on by

Vampire Owl: So, we have one more Scream as a part of an infinity.

Vampire Bat: Well, you just cannot stop the Ghostface from keeping on coming.

Vampire Owl: The serial killers of Hollywood never stop the process.

Vampire Bat: The serial killers never really stop, do they?

Vampire Owl: I am surely not asking them to stop.

Vampire Bat: Well, serial killers should focus on killing only evil humans.

Vampire Owl: That would be a lot of such victims if you ask me.

Vampire Bat: I hope that none of the victims turn into vampires.

Vampire Owl: I see no humans worthy enough for that.

Vampire Bat: Well, they know that death is only the beginning; so they will try.

[Gets a ulli vada and three cups of Kodaikanal tea].

What is the movie about? :: Two lovers visit the original Ghostface killer’s home as a horror tour only to find themselves killed by someone wearing the same mask. The Ghostface also sets the house on fire and leaves. Meanwhile, Sidney Prescott (Neve Campbell) is married to the police chief Mark Evans (Joel McHale) and is living a happy family life in Pine Grove, Indiana. She also named their elder daughter after her old friend, and this daughter Tatum Evans (Isabel May) is trying not to have any memory of her mother’s terrifying past come to her. Everything seems to get into track with a successful café already under their ownership until Sidney gets a video call from a scarred Stu Macher (Matthew Lillard) who announces that he is going after Tatum and is outside the theater where she is rehearsing for her upcoming play with her friends. Sidney informs her husband and arrives with the police but Ghostface escapes after killing Tatum’s best friend Hannah Thurman (Mckenna Grace) and another friend who has been helping with the play’s background work.

So, what happens with the events here as we just keep looking? :: Their neighbour Lucas Bowden (Asa Germann) tries to help, but his mother Jessica Bowden (Anna Camp) is suspicious about them as she feels that trouble follows the family and her son who follows these stories of murders could also end up being a suspect for absolutely no reason. On the same night, Ghostface comes right out of Sidney’s attic and after a fight with the family, knocks Mark unconscious. Sidney takes Tatum to a safe room and uses the room’s alternate exit to go and get help. But Ghostface who finds the movement on the other side of the wall, tries to stab both of them right through, but fails in the same, only to face Mark again. As he tries to run away, is hit by the car with Gale Weathers (Courteney Cox), Mindy Meeks-Martin (Jasmin Savoy Brown) and Chad Meeks-Martin (Mason Gooding), the three survivors of former attacks of Ghostface. After removing the mask, Sidney recognizes the killer as Karl Gibbs (Kraig Dane), a murderer who escaped from a nearby mental institution who was earlier at their café.

And what more can happen here with a serial killer on the loose? :: Sidney visits the mental health institution, where supervisor Marco Davis (Ethan Embry) recognizes Stu as a mental patient that had no memory and lived in the room next to Karl, and tells them that those two were best friends. He further adds that the man was only recently released, and Karl who was a true psychopath had left the hospital following him. Sidney does not want Tatum’s boyfriend Ben Brown (Sam Rechner) to help her, as she distrusts him due to her own personal experiences. Mindy, Chad, Ben, Asa and Tatum joins Chloe Parker (Celeste O’Connor), another friend of Tatum in a tavern to discuss possible plans to find out who the killer is. But the only thing they end up finding out is that almost everyone is a suspect. At the same time, Sidney reluctantly agrees to be interviewed by Gale on live television to make Stu interested in the situation, only to leave the interview as she is asked too many questions about her children whom she wants to protect. At the same time, Mark is brutally attacked by the Ghostface, and soon, the killer calls and reveals what he is going to do. Can any of these people stop the person in time?

The defence of Scream 7 :: The movie starts really well, and the first one itself is a fine kill with some nice scares here and there with surprises that quickly come out of nowhere. But it is only the beginning, as many murders follow, and the first one had really set the mood for this flick. Neve Campbell as Sidney Prescott and Courteney Cox as Gale Weathers brings the old model slasher nostalgia back as the original characters come strong and stays right at the centre. Isabel May is the perfect addition here, and with her around, we can be sure that this scream queen legacy will live on for long – she gets in here with such an ease that we feel her to be a long-time part of the franchise. Some meta-horror humour along with smart references to horror tropes keep the movie working further. The final twist works as the suspense is not something that one would guess with ease. The Ghostface remains an antagonist that will continue to impress us with moments and this is one serial killer who needs no supernatural support with so many characters taking on that mask, and that works really well here too.

The claws of flaw :: The movie got rid of Mckenna Grace too early, and as we look at her as a future scream queen who was part of Ghostbusters: Afterlife, Ghostbusters: Frozen Empire, Malignant, Annabelle Comes Home and others needed a bigger spot in this horror franchise than just get killed by the Ghostface in a minute or two. The repetition that we have been seeing in the franchise continues with this one, and so many things keep happening again and again. The motivation of the killers does seem to be rather unconvincing, weak and strange in character. Then there are those characters which are not developed, and most of the side-characters miss the strength, with too many deaths occurring too quickly rather than everything happening as part of the development of the story. The dependence on nostalgia does not let it go for something bigger or to bring too much innovation, and one can only keep wondering what more can this franchise bring in a next movie if it comes, for this is like a franchise that seems to stretch towards eternity.

How it finishes :: This movie is surely better than the predecessors except for the first few movies which set the whole thing very well. The slasher mode works well here with that nostalgia attached to it, but does not get the innovation working here due to that overdependence on a past which remains the core of the movie’s present and future. The Ghostface remains an image that we will remember for long, and even its parody would remain scary enough – the movie seems to know its advantages and focuses on the same without taking much of a risk; the world is direct here without any complications. This would be a light, nostalgic slasher experience which seems somewhat set to pass on the baton to a new generation with the introduction of the daughter character to the scene, but how it would turn out is yet to be seen. This is like that eternal slasher movie which gets new characters behind that well-known mask, and with this one, we know that there has just been enough again, and any more expectation from the fans would be a demand, but not a right. May our favourite Halloween season mask live on.

Release date: 27th February 2026
Running time: 114 minutes
Directed by: Kevin Williamson
Starring: Neve Campbell, Isabel May, Jasmin Savoy Brown, Mason Gooding, Anna Camp, David Arquette, Michelle Randolph, Jimmy Tatro, Mckenna Grace, Asa Germann, Celeste O’Connor, Sam Rechner, Mark Consuelos, Tim Simons, Matthew Lillard, Joel McHale, Courteney Cox

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

<<< Click here to go to the biggest movie of last year.

@ Cemetery Watch
✠ The Vampire Bat.

Influencers

Posted on by

Vampire Owl: I still do not understand why humans call some online people influencers.

Vampire Bat: These online people have the power to affect the purchasing decisions and behaviours of others, through their presence and content on social media platforms.

Vampire Owl: But we are influenced by everyone around us.

Vampire Bat: Yes, but these people consider this as their job.

Vampire Owl: We also influence people, don’t we?

Vampire Bat: Yes, but we do not make people buy things.

Vampire Owl: That should be because we do not take cash to talk of a product.

Vampire Bat: So, technically, the influencers are those who do ads.

Vampire Owl: It feels like celebrities coming in advertisements.

Vampire Bat: True, those celebrities have always been the influencers, never really using the products, but taking cash to speak high of them.

[Gets a uzhunnu vada and three cups of Yercaud tea].

What is the movie about? :: The movie begins by showing a visibly disturbed woman cutting her own throat after looking at the mobile phone. Meanwhile, it is seen that Catherine (Cassandra Naud) had left behind her past of taking on the identities of influencers on social media after abducting or murdering them. Her last victim Madison (Emily Tennant) had remained a suspect in the murders of influencers and their friends while nobody had any proof to make her a suspect – at least a photo of her to prove her to be the mastermind behind identity theft and killings was never to be discovered anywhere. Madison’s influencer life ended as she was continuously blamed online for the murders despite the court letting her go – she no longer remains a face for the advertisers who have gone after new viral names. Meanwhile, Catherine manages to hide nicely in France, and also finding a lesbian partner in a photographer named Diane (Lisa Delamar). This relationship goes stable as it becomes more and more romantic and intimate with their first anniversary which they decide to celebrate with another trip.

So, what happens with the events here as we just keep looking? :: As they decide to get the best room in a hotel to share their intimacy, Catherine is frustrated to find out that the hotel had given the same room to an influencer Charlotte (Georgina Campbell), seemingly to get some promotion of their property. As Charlotte seems to message her and ask her to give her company on a journey, Catherine is further irritated. She gets out of the room early, and after finding Charlotte, tells her that she will accompany her and will take some nice photos. They go to an abandoned monument to take some special photos and she pushes Charlotte off to her death. After the act, she begins to impersonate the influencer on social media as she had done a long time ago. She even messages Diane from Charlotte’s mobile phone that she had left for Spain to make the disappearance feel natural to her. As Charlotte, like many other online influencers, did not have many friends in real life, which leads to her going missing being attributed to her usual journeys.

The defence of Influencers :: There is the strength of dark humour that this movie uses to effectiveness, as Cassandra Naud seems to make use of the same perfectly. Her negative role is something that need to become a measuring scale for similar performances of later – the close shots show the perfection in her facial expressions, and it is like the mark on her face also performs with her. The movie does make fun of the hashtag obsession, digital narcissism and unmatched addiction for social media in a way in which the movie world is in the realistic mode. In a world in which people create videos for money praising something and call themselves influencer despite not really knowing a product, the question remains if the word “influencer” can ever be used in a positive way. Well, during these days, people get viral by doing all the nonsense, and otherwise, there is the option to show partial nudity as much as it is allowed on the social media; Instagram being the most affected platform. It is always fair to satirize this kind of a situation as it influences the youth so much, and even causes suicides.

Positives and negatives :: There are moments when the movie seems to have missed chances for making it bigger, and the psychological terror could have reached bigger heights – but those are just small elements in a movie which makes uses of its minutes so well that even if it was a longer movie, we would have continued to watch it with the same interest. The visuals are so good with locations in France, Thailand and Bali. We get immersed in so many moments of the movie, as the antagonist’s manipulation is so good, as she known when to be a psychotic killer with a knife or axe, an intimate and romantic lover, a seductive beauty who sheds her clothes or a damsel in distress with tears coming out of her eyes as the situation demands. The way in which this difficult character with multiple shades has been done to perfection by Cassandra Naud is something nobody will miss around here. We would love to see her in a full horror movie with a psychotic serial killer or supernatural entity on the other side – she could be a scream queen of something like Evil Dead, Scream, Halloween or other long franchises or the next generation ones like X, I Heart Willie and others that we are to cherish for a long time. Just watch the final scene of fighting and stabbing and you will know.

The performers of the soul :: Cassandra Naud’s performance here might be the strongest element of the movie, as she elevates the whole thing at the beginning itself. It can be seen that she carries the movie with unparalleled confidence, and she does the same for a role which would have made the common actresses struggle or even overact, as we have seen in many cases. Even in those scenes which seem serene, her expressions and body language create such tension and the fear that the whole situation is going to be more twisted. The chaos in her cuteness and beauty will be something that we remember, and the way in which she manages that with grace is her class as an antagonist to remember. The chance to be a loud and exaggerated villain is avoided, and she is just too good in this manner – calm, calculated and manipulative like never before. Her friendliness and detachment and going there and back feels so good. The facial birthmark adds to the uniqueness of her character’s screen presence making the character so much visually and intellectually memorable. The others, especially Emily Tennant, Lisa Delamar and Veronica Lang shines and Jonathan Whitesell nicely adds to the same.

How it finishes :: Influencers is that movie which keeps one interested with dark humour and a possibility of infinite horror that too in a realistic way, as Cassandra Naud leads the path in a manner that not many lady antagonists have done before. She breathes life into this movie and raises the bar, keeping us wondering and surprised with different moments. Even though I have not watched the first movie, it feels that this can only be an improvement on that one unless that one had some special ingredient other than being the first of the franchise. The sharp commentary on influencer culture is the need of our world indeed. If you enjoy those modern psychological thrillers about identity, fame and online obsession, this is surely the movie for you, and Cassandra Naud’s magnetic performance attracts you more and more as your time in the movie passes, and despite her being the antagonist, you want to see her more, and keep asking for a sequel. Such a demand is just natural as she is indeed too good.

Release date: 12th December 2025
Running time: 110 minutes
Directed by: Kurtis David Harder
Starring: Cassandra Naud, Emily Tennant, Georgina Campbell, Lisa Delamar, Jonathan Whitesell, Veronica Long, Dylan Playfair

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

<<< Click here to go to the biggest movie of last year.

@ Cemetery Watch
✠ The Vampire Bat.

Killer Whale

Posted on by

Vampire Owl: I remember talking to the Vampire Whale last night.

Vampire Bat: There is no Vampire Whale among us. It could only be a fake vampire.

Vampire Owl: Why not? I have already checked the teeth. The fangs are fine.

Vampire Bat: Everyone with fangs is not a vampire, or even a werewolf.

Vampire Owl: So, it was a Demon Whale or a resurrected shadow demon?

Vampire Bat: Couldn’t it have just been a usual creature of the ocean?

Vampire Owl: This could have been better known if Aquaman became a vampire.

Vampire Bat: He could no longer breath underwater if he became a vampire.

Vampire Owl: Oh right! Vampires were never really water resistant.

Vampire Bat: You have never really listened to the study classes, which becomes a problem now.

[Gets a plate of nachos and three cups of Korean tea].

What is the movie about? :: Maddie (Virginia Gardner), an aspiring musician, is very close to making an impact, and also in taking the next step with her long-time crush Chad (Isaac Crawley), as he feels that the happiest moments of her life are just a few days away. But as Chad tries to protect Maddie from a robbery, he is run over by one of the robbers, and she also losses most her hearing ability to the continuous gunshots. This begins a life of melancholy for her, as she stops playing music and keeps to herself at home for most of her time, with no entry for friends into her life. Her best friend Trish Stevens (Mel Jarnson) who is a PhD student studying gene editing and a social media influencer who attracts a huge fan following visits her after a year to make her feel better. She surprises her with a luxury vacation to Thailand in the Andaman Sea, as she uses her influence with her fans of exclusive social media content to find a perfect place where they could have fun and forget the gruesome past, with her own exotic journeys already making an impact.

So, what happens with the events here as we just keep looking? :: Trish also finds a new interest in another tourist named Josh (Mitchell Hope), and they together visit a local attraction featuring a captive orca. Disapproving of keeping the creatures in captivity, but finds out that orca had already killed someone who had fallen into its pool. The park management decides to get rid of the orca on the same night by just flushing it into the sea, where it is not known to attack humans. The next morning, the three decide to explore a secluded lagoon which locals consider to be haunted and therefore not explored by curious tourists. But soon, Josh and Trish riding a jet ski are ambushed by the same orca who kills Josh while Trish manages to swim and reach Maddie’s inflatable boat. The two are forced to swim on to a rock and with injuries on their leg, are forced to stay there with nothing other than bikinis on their bodies and a torch. They try to signal to a distance with the torch, but with no result, as time passes. They try to survive against all odds and at the same time share a few secrets with each other, but it remains to be seen about how long they can do the same.

The defence of Killer Whale :: The movie’s premise is more interesting than the usual movies featuring danger from underneath the sea, as the main character is already set, and the possibilities of the orca is also being talked about. There is also a message in support of these mammals to be taken out of captivity to their original habitats. The idea that years of captivity and mistreatment can make animals more of a monster is asserted here, and supported by the protagonist. There is that scene when the two girls are moving in the inflatable boat, and the orca is moving underneath them, as they look in terror. Then there is orca moving around them as they take shelter on a rock surrounded by water. We also have both protagonists swimming in full strength as if their lives depend on their quick movement through water, and those are all tense moments, as much as their search for anything useful. The survival skills are nicely put into test here, and we see them fighting nature’s predator as much as their own emotions, with this becoming another movie of fighting against all odds.

Positives and negatives :: One cannot stop noticing that the whale could have looked better as the creature features and the effects of the sea often looked cheap, seemingly due to a low budget, but that does not make us feel the danger to be that far away or of lesser strength. People can feel that this is another shark movie, and just ended quickly without adding some extra strength, but considering the fact that this is film of different dimensions, the same can indeed be forgotten. The movie also has us sympathetic to the whale, and makes us wonder about what humans to do to each other as much as to the creatures of nature. There are multiple shots of the main characters surrounded by the orca from above and underneath, all of them making one feel the danger of the situation. The camera shots also keep us close to the characters, and we also go through that journey with them with what they see as much as what the creature see of them from underneath the sea. Then there are some beautiful shots of their world in the end at sea and out of it, which facilitates an ending that looks well.

The performers of the soul :: The movie focus on two characters, played by Virginia Gardner as Maddie and Mel Jarnson as Trish Stevens, with others and their performances being less relevant, even though we would remember Isaac Crawley and Mitchell Hope more than others. The movie perfectly moves towards a female-sisterhood-survival movie in that manner. Virginia comes up with a charming and emotional work, as we see her character move through emotions, from that romantic happy beginning to chaos, while she tries to survive. Mel Jarnson also handles the emotions incredibly well, with guilt and attempt for hope gaining on her. She remains stunning out there as she was perfect in Witchboard, but this time having an influencer and social media powerhouse running right through her character. This is where beauty comes also with performances, and the two on the rock is a sight to behold not just with those looks, but also with the emotional performances. There is no artificiality here, as they strive through their characters’ toughest times for survival as much feelings.

How it finishes :: If you have watched The Shallows and 47 Meters Down, this can be felt as a repetition, but this one also has that emotional side, and the weight of the past, which makes the world of two best friends different around here. In between, there are some beautiful moments, as the emotions surely have more than one side. If you like creature thrillers with a touch of deviation, but never losing the survival mode, this would be entertaining. If you are expecting a big budget classic with realistic orca behaviour with terrifying high budget world on the level of grand shark attacks, this might lag behind at times. The movie is available of Lionsgate Play which would come as an addition with the usual Airtel unlimited recharges, and therefore is an easy watch, in the form of a never-boring survival adventure with hidden human emotions that power through, while compassion, remorse, guilt and forgiveness remains themes to look out for, even though not always coming to the front in a direct manner. You know if you like the survival mode, like in Survive, Oxygen, Meander, Nowhere, Crawl etc.

Release date: 6th March 2026 (Asia)
Running time: 89 minutes
Directed by: Jo-Anne Brechin
Starring: Virginia Gardner, Mel Jarnson, Mitchell Hope, Isaac Crawley, Ron Smuck, Aliandra Calabrese, Mia Grunwalkd, Shinji Ikefuji, Scott James

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

<<< Click here to go to the biggest movie of last year.

@ Cemetery Watch
✠ The Vampire Bat.

Dheeran

Posted on by

Vampire Owl: Here is a movie title which translates to being brave.

Vampire Bat: Well, vampires are born brave.

Vampire Owl: You mean that we are reborn as the brave ones.

Vampire Bat: I have not yet seen a vampire who is not brave.

Vampire Owl: I have doubt about the Vampire Mouse.

Vampire Bat: All mouses that bite would not be a Vampire Mouse.

Vampire Owl: Still, he had given an application.

Vampire Bat: And it was rejected in just half an hour.

Vampire Owl: We would need more brave vampires in case there is a war.

Vampire Bat: The pact with werewolves stand strong, and the rest, whether witches or demons do not fight direct wars.

[Gets a paneer puffs and three cups of Bandarawela tea].

What is the movie about? :: Eldhose (Rajesh Madhavan) is someone who had received a bravery medal from the President of India when he was a child, for saving the village’s only welder, Aruvi (Manoj K Jayan) who was drowning in the middle of a river. But after developing a pre-marital relationship with Suramya (Aswathy Manoharan) whose wedding he is blamed to have ruined, both of them are caught during their private moments in the bus which he was driving, right in the middle of the night, while most of the village were busy with the local temple festival. As he tries to escape, it had also led to the Panchayat President Abbas (Jagadish) getting injured. Finding himself in trouble, and with people about to forcibly getting him and Suramya married against her will, he runs away from the village and reaching Erode in Tamil Nadu. There, he becomes the assistant of Abubacker (Vineeth), a Malayali gangster who only trusts him and his long-time henchman Suhail (Arun Cherukavil), as he had made too many enemies, and used a perfume store as front to hide.

So, what happens with the events here as we just keep looking? :: Abubacker who keeps being worried about his former friends turning rivals, cannot sleep at night, and sleeps with a gun on his chest. He decides to find some relief by killing Saravanan (Srikrishna Dayal), one of his former henchmen, and assigns Eldhose to do the work, while pretending to be someone looking for work in the fruit factory which served as a front in a land where even the police were frightened to enter. But things do not seem to go well, as there is the news about Eldhose being killed in a fire-related accident in the fruit factory. This leads to a group of people deciding to go to Tamil Nadu to receive his body. Abbas who feels that he would go for the purpose any way, is joined by Aruvi, along with his two uncles Kunjan (Ashokan) and Joppan (Sudheesh) and brother-in-law Dixon (Abhiram Radhakrishnan). Spinesh (Shabareesh Varma), his old friend turned nemesis, also decides to drive the ambulance, leaving their past problems behind. But the question remains about what awaits them after crossing the border.

The defence of Dheeran :: The movie maintains its dark humour and silliness really well, and the situations for humour have been nicely created and maintained. Then there is some classic humour that comes of out of nowhere to create the fun all of a sudden. Then there are the simple and realistic moments that work, as the characters feel close to life as in those feel-good movies. The fine visuals of the villages of Kerala and Tamil Nadu also serve the purpose, as the movie has arranged a suitable cast for the purpose. The background score and music do serve the purpose well. Their use of the devotional song “akkarekk yathra cheyyum” which comes from the speaker nicely fits the situation. The execution of the final moments with a lot of action serves very well in a mixture of action and humour, with the special new year firework effects. The satire is as much present as everything else, and when there is such a veteran cast that can do the job so well, one can be assured of at least a minimum quality.

The claws of flaw :: There is a certain amount of struggle that the movie shows in between, as the narrative keep going back and come right back to the front – the non-linear journey was not really the option for a movie of this genre. The progress of the movie is rather slow, and the silliness often keeps us not interested rather than bring the humour to the front. We also have some dragging of the situation in the middle, and the flashback also feels too long. The overall length is a bit more considering the fact that the content does not have that much to keep the parts strong. The movie also goes on a predictable path with nothing new getting on the screen. The side characters are often lost, without the kind of significance which made other films like Kunjiramayanam and Adi Kapyare Koottamani successful. This one was so close to being a wild adventure ride, but not that much there to be taken. The fact that the movie gets back to Kerala from Tamil Nadu too soon, then everyone travels vice versa, does not help the purpose at all. The female characters also fall short except for some dialogues.

The performers of the soul :: The movie is led by Rajesh Madhavan, whose work has been memorable through Minnal Murali, Nna Thaan Case Kodu and Maranamass which had him making such a fine impact in different ways, but surely adding some fine humour. Jagadish’s work reminds us of what he did in Falimy, a movie which had similar humour running through, and had become a family travel humour sample to look forward to. Ashokan and Sudheesh adds to the humour well, according to the situations. Manoj K Jayan as Aruvi also brings both the funny as well as the emotional side to work. Vineeth as Abubacker also contributes to the fun, and Arun Cherukavil nicely supports him in the world of gangsters with a little too much of fear – the early gangster fun had surely got everyone interested. Shabareesh Varma keeps doing what he has been doing since Premam, really well. Abhiram Radhakrishnan can also be seen as further adding to the humour. Srikrishna Dayal as Saravanan gives the character the right elements of a real gangster, and Sidharth Bharathan remains notable.

How it finishes :: Not to be confused with other movies with the same or similar titles but deals with different topics and genre, Dheeran is that kind of a movie which goes on the lines of simple and silly fun with some dark humour to support it, and the same comes up with memorable moments. With Malayattoor as the setting, there is the feeling of watching something familiar with this one. The world of villagers and later that of gangsters work effectively here, and the funny side does not disappear from this one even when there is a serious scene or flow of emotions. The action comes strong by the end, with the adventure almost reaching that fine ending which also leaves like a feel-good movie, but with even a scope for sequel that could develop these characters in an even better way. Despite the bumps here and there, the movie is surely worth a try, especially as we keep looking for some lighter moments in a world of chaos. A weekend with this movie running on television would surely be the one with the laughs.

Release date: 4th July 2025
Running time: 137 minutes
Directed by: Devadath Shaji
Starring: Rajesh Madhavan, Jagadish, Ashokan, Manoj K Jayan, Sidharth Bharathan, Vineeth, Sudheesh, Shabareesh Varma, Abhiram Radhakrishnan, Aswathy Manoharan, Srikrishna Dayal, Arun Cherukavil, Indumathy Manikandan, Vijaya Sadhan

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

<<< Click here to go to the biggest movie of last year.

@ Cemetery Watch
✠ The Vampire Bat.

The Housemaid

Posted on by

Vampire Owl: We have waited for this movie to come in the OTT for some time.

Vampire Bat: And it is on Amazon Prime Video, which is for the best.

Vampire Owl: Well, we all needed our Amazon Prime deliveries.

Vampire Bat: There is no Amazon delivery in Dracula castle.

Vampire Owl: Well, we can always pick them up from the borders of the realm.

Vampire Bat: What we need are very much here, and at best quality.

Vampire Owl: The vampire apprentices are really working hard, aren’t they?

Vampire Bat: We have shifted to magic for doing the work for us.

Vampire Owl: Dr. Frankenstein had invented enough to help with that.

Vampire Bat: Mr. Frankenstein’s pseudo-science actually helps and saves nobody. Frank no longer has enough access to our work.

[Gets a vegetable samosa and three cups of Kodaikanal tea].

What is the movie about? :: Wilhelmina Calloway a.k.a. Millie (Sydney Sweeney) is on parole after committing a murder in self-defence. It is then that she is hired by Nina Winchester (Amanda Seyfried) as a live-in maid, much to her surprise as her criminal records did not stop her from being hired for such a big job after so many rejections. The home also has her daughter Cecelia Winchester (Indiana Elle) and husband Andrew Winchester (Brandon Sklenar) who are surprised to see her around there, but Nina is determined that she should have a housemaid as she cannot manage household work even though Enzo Accardi (Michele Morrone) takes care of the work outside. Mille is given an attic bedroom that can be locked from the outside, much to her surprise, and she tries to get a key for the same. But she is so desperate to keep her job as it is a term of her parole; due the same, she just goes on with the process despite the problems that come in her way, and feels that there is something wrong with Nina and the family seems to be slowly falling apart.

So, what happens with the events here as we just keep looking? :: Mille further learns that in the past, Nina was locked in a mental hospital for a period of nine months for trying to drown Cece in a bath tub under the effect of drugs and for has tried attempting suicide by overdose. Nina is considered mentally unstable by different people, and some of them seems to keep a distance from her too. Millie also finds her to be very angry towards her, and breaks things while keeping on shouting. It could also be seen that Nina says one thing to her and forgets the same later, keeping on saying that Millie decided to do that thing against her instructions. The neighbours consider her to be a dangerous woman, without a family, and has attached herself to her husband who is rich, handsome, and sweet to everyone around. Andrew’s mother Evelyn Winchester (Elizabeth Perkins) is also that high society lady whom everyone revered, and keeps telling the family about a few things which they should always follow without fail.

And what more is to happen around here as a crisis seems to be on the way? :: A similar case occurs as Millie books Broadway musical tickets and a hotel for the Winchesters in one of the richest areas, but later, Nina just denies having given her those instructions, and tells her that she will take the money out of her salary as the tickets are not refundable. But when Nina was talking her daughter to the ballet camp, Andrew tries to cheer Millie up by secretly taking her to the show, and after enjoying dinner together, they check into the hotel. Millie receives a large number of angry texts from Nina, but Andrew, and the two start and intimate relationship in the hotel bedroom. Then, when they return home, and Millie realizes that Nina has found out that she spent ten years in prison for murder. Nina uses this knowledge to make sure that police arrest her on stealing their car, after reporting a stolen car. But this would not be the end of it, as her plans might be more sinister, and the family secrets would mean more trouble. Can Millie survive this?

The defence of The Housemaid :: The movie maintains a certain level, with nice red herrings and the suspense always ready to come out, with thrills going on strong – the performances of the leading actresses are also to be noted, as Sydney Sweeney and Amanda Seyfried blends into the situation really well. Sydney seems to be very close to becoming the next scream queen in a horror movie, and we have seen her capability with thrillers earlier itself, through The Voyeurs. Amanda had a more complicated role, and she maintains a certain amount of skill to go through the transformation of the character. Brandon Sklenar also joins well here. The tension is nicely built, as the viewer gets curious with secrets to be revealed, mind games and twists which might not be the kind that one can predict with ease. There is the feeling that we are watching the kind of thrillers which we had during much earlier times. The dramatic side also works and entertainment is guaranteed, with most of the action set in a big and isolated house which is set far away from the city.

The claws of flaw :: The movie’s ending seemed to be too quick and forced. After that, there is another scene which feels like not relevant at all, as Sydney Sweeney’s character was surely not fit to that situation, and it is not a kind of job that one could take when on the list of police; strange that some fine endings feel the need to be made further complicated by an additional scene – even if it was created to bring hope for a sequel which also would not fit in. The predictability also comes in after the grand twist, and after that, the situation feels just going on and on, and nothing more. There was also the slowing down in between, and seemingly an attempt to divert the movie a little too much. The length of the movie is surely a little too much, as sometimes, time is just lost in the dialogues. With the movie becoming too much filmy, we can also see that the realistic side, despite being present, sometimes losses its charm. The flashback and the explanations are also too long, and the main character, without any prior knowledge of the predicament, seems to guess and thus understand everything with relative ease.

How it finishes :: This particular movie had successfully become more than what is seen on the outside, and we know that movies like this one and Deep Water, as well as Gone Girl, strikes because they have something more than what is seen on the surface. Compared to those titles, this one also ultimately stands as a highly watchable but not the best psychological thriller that leans more towards providing the old-style entertainment rather than focusing on the much-needed depth. Powered by the performances led by Amanda Seyfried and Sydney Sweeney, the movie could create an engaging atmosphere having tension, secrets and dramatic twists. It chooses the commercial side instead of the intellectual, and manages to work well in the same. It still relies on familiar tropes, some predictability and moments of too much talking about the past to reduce the overall impact. But you are sure to enjoy this one because the movie is made in a way that the appeal to the audience would be more, and catering towards the regular thriller fun side is here to be taken home, even if it is from Amazon Prime Video.

Release date: 19th December 2025
Running time: 131 minutes
Directed by: Paul Feig
Starring: Sydney Sweeney, Amanda Seyfried, Nicholas Galitzine, Julie Walters, Alex Wolff

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

<<< Click here to go to the biggest movie of last year.

@ Cemetery Watch
✠ The Vampire Bat.

The Great Flood

Posted on by

Vampire Owl: I have heard that the vampire elders have witnessed the earlier great floods.

Vampire Bat: Maybe from a distance, as they have always lived on the mountains.

Vampire Owl: The sacred hills have always provided the vampire kind with protection.

Vampire Bat: The hills have always acted as a natural barrier against the others.

Vampire Owl: You mean against the ancient evils which have no regular forms.

Vampire Bat: The ancient evil has kept us searching for changes in a volatile world.

Vampire Owl: And yet, we have not defeated that evil. It lives.

Vampire Bat: It would live as long as humans exist, with an easy pass to their world.

Vampire Owl: Well, they keep saying that evil always finds a way.

Vampire Bat: From our experiences, we can conclude that too.

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

What is the movie about? :: Gu An-na (Kim Da-mi) is an AI researcher who had only been recently widowed after losing her husband Shin Ga-won (Lee Hak-joo) to a car accident and following drowning from which he could not be saved. She stays in contact with her parents who keep checking on her, and is living with her son Shin Ja-in (Kwon Eun-seong) in a thirty-floor apartment which features a large number of residents. Living in the third floor, she soon finds water reaching her apartment, slowly filling the room, which leads her to panic and try to run with her son to the top only to find the elevators not working anymore, and the stairs are blocked, with no way to go. The child is terrified, but she cannot find a way through the panicked residents of the building. It is then that Son Hee-jo (Park Hae-soo), a security operative from the Darwin Center, an advanced scientific research facility, arrives there in time to help An-na escape from the apartment. After saving them from waves of water, he reveals that the United Nations had known that an asteroid impact at the South Pole that would trigger a global flood and push mankind towards extinction.

So, what happens with the events here as we just keep looking? :: It is then known that instead of announcing the terrifying situation, world governments funded secret efforts to ensure survival of the species including a space station and research into creating biologically engineered human bodies and transfer of consciousness. It is revealed that An-na’s employer is also involved in these projects. As another tsunami separates An-na from Ja-in, she is forced to swim back into the flooding building. She finds a trapped young girl in an elevator but is unable to free her as the water keeps forcing her to continue upward. As they reach the roof of the building SWAT team captures Ja-in and extracts his consciousness into a digital storage device, revealing that Ja-in was never biologically born, but an artificial child. An-na’s AI software had helped in the same. The SWAT commander tells her that there is no safehouse that only An-na and the storage disk will be taken to safety, while everyone else will be left behind to die. As An-na is transported to a rocket bound for the station in orbit, she is forced to accept her fate, but can she go on with it?

The defence of The Great Flood :: The movie takes a fine divergence with the idea as disaster finds another possibility or even more. This is surely not the disaster movie that we would expect to be reflected on the screen, even though the devastation is very much there with the loss of human lives and property, with a lot more devastation being talked about rather than shown on the screen. It chooses not to go with the usual disaster mode and focus on all the usual, and instead, innovates enough. It is not an easy job to combine the genres like this, but the challenge seems to have been accepted with some grace. The emotional side is also at work here, and gets stronger at times. The sentimental crisis feels much relevant here, and about humanity itself, there would be questions that remain thought-provoking. The doubts about morality when facing a crisis would remain throughout the movie. The visuals are much supportive of the situation, and the flood is indeed nicely shown. The flood visuals and water effects, from the surface as much as going underneath, goes on well. The strong performances just go with it.

The claws of flaw :: The movie has a struggle in between with the repeated visuals, and sometimes it gets too repetitive instead of bringing something special – the innovation is not that much there when the world repeats itself. That sudden shift from disaster drama to science fiction with complex simulation loops feels too complex and not that interesting to follow, unlike some other movies which have kept the same interesting with variety. The emotions also go down the drain at times as other questions keep popping up. The emotional weight often feels forced too, as we keep seeing the mother-child situations rather too much. The cliché is surely there and going down to the stereotypes also seems to be another priority at times. Some ideas just seem underdeveloped and, in the end, there seems to be a rush rather than a smooth final finish. The movie could have surely been better polished and executed as we look closer. This one would not be for everyone, as the grandeur of the destruction and danger is left behind too early.

The performers of the soul :: Kim Da-mi as Gu An-na leads the way, and she plays the concerned mother caring for her child who have just gone through another trauma. She has her moments, and it is surely up to her to hold the movie high, and the same rests on her shoulders. The concerns and attempts of her character continue to have a feeling of reflecting harsh realities. Yet, she is weighed down by the repetitions that come without that much of a divergence in between. Park Hae-soo follows really well, and there is a certain amount of strength to his character which is dealt with well. There could have been more action to it, as there was much scope for the same. The repetitions just keep holding things back. Kwon Eun-seong plays the child in trouble nicely, but not that much when seen again and again. Jeon Yu-na is the other notable child actor. Most of the other characters do feel irrelevant. They just come and go, or just make a quick appearance without letting us know much about them.

How it finishes :: The Great Flood is a disaster movie featuring flood with a difference, and an extinction event with even more of a divergence in a world of chaos. There is no denying the fact that much more could have been done with the resources in hand, and that movement in the direction of the less explored. There are some classic looks to support the movie, and the danger is always present, even though complications sometimes drag the same to the back. With a visually impressive world and some strong acting, the movie feels like a safe watch, but its ambitious mix of genres and strange as well as complex narrative choices create some confusion here and there. If you are in support of some thought-provoking science fiction action mixed with the usual disaster themes, there is much to be seen here. The journey is mixed, but never goes out of the equation. This is some divergence to be watched with its quality. After all, we have been looking at the possibilities of human extinction as much as the usual disasters.

Release date: 19th December 2025
Running time: 108 minutes
Directed by: Kim Byung-woo
Starring: Kim Da-mi, Park Hae-soo, Kwon Eun-seong, Jeon Yu-na as Lee Ji-su, Park Mi-hyun, Jeon Hye-jin, Park Byung-eun, Lee Hak-joo

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

<<< Click here to go to the biggest movie of last year.

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

<<< Click here to go to the first Korean movie review.

<<< Click here to go to the previous Korean sci-fi movie review.

<<< Click here to go to the previous Korean near-extinction movie review.

@ Cemetery Watch
✠ The Vampire Bat.

Jurassic World Rebirth

Posted on by

Vampire Owl: Are we going to see the dinosaurs again?

Vampire Bat: Yes, and they continue to remind us of dragons.

Vampire Owl: Do you feel that dragons really existed in the realm?

Vampire Bat: Yes, they could be summoned by the witches if they are powerful enough.

Vampire Owl: So, dragons originally became extinct like the dinosaurs?

Vampire Bat: The legends do not exactly mention dragons ceasing to exist.

Vampire Owl: So, have you ever seen one and inspire a Dragon Park like the Jurassic one?

Vampire Bat: You know that creatures of magic always coexist without you seeing them, right?

Vampire Owl: If they come back at some point, I would call it necromancy.

Vampire Bat: It would be just simple magic as they are not really gone forever.

[Gets a Bourbon biscuit and three cups of Munnar tea].

What is the movie about? :: It is seen that in a dinosaur genetics laboratory located on Ile Saint-Hubert, an island in the Atlantic Ocean, a six-limbed Tyrannosaurus called Distortus rex escapes the secure containment due to the careless dealings of an employee. It kills the same employee and forces all the active scientific and military personnel to abandon the island. But many years later, there is a plan to return to area around this island. As the Earth’s climate seems to be inappropriate for the dinosaurs, most of them are restricted to equatorial areas which got climate which suits them and resembles more of the pre-historic age. These areas become exclusion zones for the creatures where humans do not go, and are also restricted by laws. Martin Krebs (Rupert Friend), an executive at a pharmaceutical company plans a classified mission to collect some biomaterial samples from three huge dinosaurs, which would help in a cardiovascular disease treatment as heart diseases have been on the increase among humans with a lot of deaths occurring at young ages, and people have been willing to pay a lot for the same.

So, what happens with the events here as we just keep looking? :: On his mission, he recruits Zora Bennett (Scarlett Johansson), a former government agent who is in need for some quick money and a paleontologist Dr. Henry Loomis (Jonathan Bailey) who feels that his job is lost due to nobody caring about the ancient species with dinosaurs rarely attractions any more. Zora recruits an old friend and assassin Duncan Kincaid (Mahershala Ali), maritime pilot LeClerc (Bechir Sylvain), skilled mercenary Nina (Philippine Velge) and security expert Bobby Atwater (Ed Skrein) as the mission would take a lot of effort in a dangerous environment. While they are traveling through the seas, another boat is journeying far into the ocean, as Reuben Delgado (Manuel Garcia-Rulfo) is sailing nearby together with his daughters Teresa Garcia-Rulfo (Luna Blaise) and Isabella Garcia-Rulfo (Audrina Miranda), along with Teresa’s boyfriend, Xavier Dobbs (David Iacono). When a Mosasaurus attacks and overturns their sailboat, they are found by the team, but are further attacked by a group of dinosaurs teaming up as one, leading the boat to crash. Now, can they make it out alive with or without samples?

The defence of Jurassic World Rebirth :: The movie, with the strength of nostalgia, transports us to a world that we would remember for what we see around, with memories nicely coming back to us from years ago. The world detail and the dinosaurs created here are very good as usual. The island is something that will stay with us for a long time, and the jungle environment provides us some nice vibes, not that away from the natural, but providing a feeling of something beyond the usual. This is that kind of a movie which is standalone, but us connected really well to the rest of the universe. The movie also manages to have one of the best crow-pullers at the top as the main character and there is also some extra sense of danger added with a family with a kid also in trouble and a little dinosaur also around. The danger and action are also not overdone, and the battles here are more realistic than ever, even in a fictional world full of strange creatures. The ending is also satisfactory, and brings together what happened in the very beginning of the movie. There is also that scope for a fine sequel created around here.

The claws of flaw :: The movie does seem to repeat a pattern with which we are a lot familiar, and it is more or less like seeing something we have watched some time ago, but with divergences here and there, yet staying close to the core. Even after so many years, it does not add anything extraordinary or special post the first flick. This is why a comparison would only serve the purpose of hype and better initial collections rather than let people see the improvement. A follow-up to the initial moments of the movie would have also been great, as it was too good. The action does feel to be a little less and walking and talking seems to be a little more than needed, which makes this movie a little big longer than one would expect. The characters are also not that much interesting, and there is not much of a detail provided about them to keep us invested in them. The family feels that just an unnecessary addition, especially as it has that kid to raise the tension, and it has that unruly daughter and strange choice of a boyfriend, the kind that has been on the reels in Kerala for quite a long time.

The performers of the soul :: The movie is led by Scarlett Johansson, and makes one wonder if there was any other film in the franchise which would have more hype for the leading actress than anything related to its content. As the one person who has played Black Widow and has been there for so many Avengers movies, and even in the films with other superheroes, she gets into this role with ease in a mercenary mode. Jonathan Bailey also comes up with a fine display of that character who feels less important due to the society ignoring its past, but fights to save his world against all odds. Luna Blaise manages the irritating daughter who has fallen in dumb love well, and remains a symbol of disobedient children. David Iacono provides some humour as the useless boyfriend, while the child actor Audrina Miranda shines as the little girl with brain and empathy. Manuel Garcia-Rulfo’s father role works very well and often feels for him for having ungrateful teenage daughter around. Rupert Friend scores well as the only fully negative human being of the movie, and becomes the symbol of a corporate world of medicine which serves the most elite of society. Philippine Velge getting killed too early was disappointing, and we hope to see her in an action flick staying for longer periods of time.

How it finishes :: We have all been loving a lot of Jurassic Park movies in the recent past, and it is that love which we have had from childhood itself, as nostalgia lives on in relation to such creatures, even more than what Godzilla, dragons and wyverns have provided us – they have left us with enough for a life-time. The idea of the Jurassic Park coming right of a novel, had created something we were not going to forget, and so much was to come with the same on the screen with what felt like unlimited sequels. With this nostalgia running through, supported by improved classic visuals and an environment of unlimited danger that exists, this one makes the mission really interesting, thus remaining entertaining throughout the run. Transporting oneself to a world of dinosaurs will never get old, even though we do change from children of that first movie to adults watching this one. Well, this one is a little bit too derivative and repetitive, and thus if one feels that there has been too much of dinosaurs around here, one would not be complaining, but otherwise, this one nicely keeps the spark alive for the creatures from that far back in time.

Release date: 2nd July 2025
Running time: 133 minutes
Directed by: Gareth Edwards
Starring: Scarlett Johansson, Mahershala Ali, Jonathan Bailey, Rupert Friend, Manuel Garcia-Rulfo, Ed Skrein, David Iacono, Luna Blaise, Audrina Miranda, Philippine Velge, Bechir Sylvain

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

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

<<< Click here to go to the review of the biggest movie of the year.

@ Cemetery Watch
✠ The Vampire Bat.

Elevation

Posted on by

Vampire Owl: So, we are going back to the post-apocalyptic?

Vampire Bat: Yes, we are back to an end of the world event.

Vampire Owl: It only qualifies as the end of human world.

Vampire Bat: Well, they are the people of the apocalypse.

Vampire Owl: They like these apocalyptic stories so much too.

Vampire Bat: The truth is that they are the ones bringing the end of the world.

Vampire Owl: So, do you think that the humans are going to be finished soon?

Vampire Bat: I do not see why they won’t be.

Vampire Owl: I hope none of them get transformed into vampires anymore.

Vampire Bat: We are not turning anyone anymore. There will be no more human vampires.

[Gets a marble cake and three cups of Ooty tea].

What is the movie about? :: A number of mysterious creatures called Reapers emerges from sinkholes leading to underground and begins attacking humanity, with most of humanity not surviving the very first month. These creatures keep coming, and there are no bullets or missiles that could destroy them. The creatures establish themselves as the new apex predators, and just kills humans at will, while human weapons prove to be meaningless against them. Small numbers of human survivors live in different communities eight thousand feet or more above the sea level where the creatures do not reach. The new small towns are built exactly about the eight thousand feet limit, and there are boundaries drawn to make sure that nobody will dare to cross that limit and become prey to the newly arrived hunters. But there would always be an occasional traveler who try to get through for resources, communications or something else, but that do not end well for the person, and only serves the hunting creatures well.

So, what happens with the events here as we just keep looking? :: Three years later, Will (Anthony Mackie) who has been a single father for quite some time after the death of his wife Tara (Rachel Nicks), is trying to save his son Hunter (Danny Boyd Jr) who is suffering from a lung disease which only seems to be getting worse with them staying at the higher elevation. Nina (Morena Baccarin) holds the guilt for Tara’s death, as both Will and Tara were helping her in an expedition to find out the weaknesses of the Reapers before being attacked by them, and the experiment had ended with the untimely death. Will’s only good friend is Katie (Maddie Hasson) who develops a liking to him and also supports his son who faces usual breathing problems whenever he has some strain in that altitude. Will, concerned about his son, decides to do something about the situation, facing isolation from other communities and not having enough oxygen filters for his son. So, he decides to go and get a few oxygen filters after leaving his son with the elderly neighbour Hannah (Shauna Earp), and maybe find some more support in the process.

And what more is to follow in this terrible situation which seems to mean the end of humanity as we know it? :: He makes Nina agree to come with him so that they can go to her former laboratory and maybe find some clue to killing or at least temporarily stopping them. At the same time, Katie also decides to join them, despite Will asking her to stay and take care of things there. She feels that she could finally be useful, and does not wish to stay like this living in an area in the hills, doing nothing but wait for some creatures to die or humanity to be extinct. Their plan is to travel to a mine below the safety line and reach their destination through it without gaining the attention of the creatures. Nina has a device that can detect a nearby Reaper through their high bioelectromagnetic pulses. They gather supplies along the way, including a grenade launcher, but a Reaper spots them, and they just manage to escape at the last moment, as even grenades seem to have no effect on them. Even if they get to the laboratory, will there be a chance to stop creatures like these?

The defence of Elevation :: The movie surely gets the post-apocalyptic setting right, and is successful in taking us to that particular world which would come now or later. The mountain setting adds to that feeling as we feel the loneliness and depression which is prevalent in this particular world. The movie being not that long also works in the movie’s favour. It also does not overuse its content, and the creatures are also there creating the impact. As much as the visuals, the sound effects also contribute to create an impact, in a lesser level of The Quiet Place. The post-apocalyptic world keeps us close to the genre here, and we obviously get what we want. Anthony Mackie who is known for multiple Avengers and Captain America movies as well as Outside the Wire and The Woman in the Window, gets into action with ease, and leads the movie in style. With his name of character being Will, one also feels a certain nostalgia of having Will Smith in similar movies of action, adventure and apocalypse. Morena Baccarin, the Deadpool and Gotham star remains impressive in a role which has multiple faces.

The claws of flaw :: The movie does not use its resources to best advantage, despite the premise holding on so well in the beginning. Maddie Hasson’s character is missed too early, as she was just getting better with each scene, and we wanted to see her in those final moments. The father-son relationship seems to be just added to feel an emotional effect, but that is not felt in a deep manner, especially when the world seems to be too close to an end. The movie’s stay at the safe zone might not satisfy everyone, as one cannot help seeing it as somewhat a derivative of other movies. The creatures are also not seen that many times up close to create some unforgettable horror. The backstories could have also been explored in a better way. A lot of world-wide destruction is left for the imagination, and so are many other elements of the creature attack. The chance to go to a higher level is missed here, and a lot of action could have come in some corners, as the final line of defence is often what would matter the most in a big apocalyptic movie.

How it finishes :: Elevation makes a strong point among the post-apocalyptic movies, even though it will not be among the best, and there were surely chances to make it bigger in scope and also to add more action without killing one of its main characters too early. As the ending leaves scope for a sequel, we can hope for getting the canvas bigger in the next one. The movie is a strong enough visually pleasing survival-monster action-adventure thriller which becomes an entertaining, watch. It would just feel like going deep enough, but not to its end. The cast mainly of three works really well, and their success in making us feel that the danger is real, and do take us to the environment to which we also become a part. After all, this is surely going to be our future, as an apocalyptic event would come in one way or the other. This is another one of those movies which prepares us for that unstoppable doom – these kinds of movies should be more or less be saved as the manuals for the end of the world scenarios even though hypothetical, and available of Jio Hotstar.

Release date: 8th November 2024
Running time: 92 minutes
Directed by: George Nolfi
Starring: Anthony Mackie, Morena Baccarin, Maddie Hasson, Shauna Earp, Rachel Nicks, Danny Boyd Jr, Tyler Grey

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

@ Cemetery Watch
✠ The Vampire Bat.

Mirage

Posted on by

Vampire Owl: I have heard about this movie’s twists over twists.

Vampire Bat: So, it became known in the vampire world too.

Vampire Owl: It has spread to the vampire social media too.

Vampire Bat: That feels absurd as both media are not connected at all.

Vampire Owl: Well, you know these humans who try to control all the media.

Vampire Bat: Nobody can control everything at all times.

Vampire Owl: Uncle Dracula could easily do that.

Vampire Bat: Sir Dracula is that much of a legend.

Vampire Owl: Even the Vampire Elders seem to respect him.

Vampire Bat: I do not that they ever had an options since his reign began.

[Gets a chilli porotta and three cups of Kandy tea].

What is the movie about? :: Abhirami (Aparna Balamurali), who is working as an accountant in a financial consultancy finds herself in depression when Kiran (Hakim Shahjahan) who was engaged to her mysteriously disappears, and is presumed to be killed in a train crash. She is approached by Aswin Kumar (Asif Ali), an online investigative reporter who wishes to reveal some truths about Kiran, whom he does not feel to that straightforward a person. Even though they were engaged, he had left a good number of secrets to himself. At the same time, Abhirami is also approached by SP Aarumugam IPS (Sampath Raj) who wishes to unveil the mystery related to a hard drive which has secrets related to the money laundering in their company, while the owner of the company, Rajkumar (Saravanan) is also looking for her, with Rajkumar’s henchman Riyas (Aruvi Madhan) always on the hunt, even ready to beat up or murder anyone who gets in his way as he also tries to get that hard drive which has too many secrets.

So, what happens with the events here as we just keep looking? :: This drive becomes a big problem as Abhirami even gets attacked at home, and the only person who seems to stand with her is her colleague working in the same department, Rithika (Hannah Reji Koshy). Anandu (Arjun Syam Gopan) is the only person who can decrypt the data in the hard drive, who is also missing, despite going on a field visit to Madurai for the same company. Rithika does not trust Ashwin who seems to be always looking for sensational news. Ashwin feels that Abhirami is still hiding something, and he only considers Kiran missing and not dead, even though his dead body was identified right after the train accident. Abhirami decides to travel to Kiran’s hometown with Ashwin, much to the dismay of Rithika who distrusts the whole situation. Riyas continues to haunt them, coming right out of nowhere, as if he knows their every move. It is revealed that Kiran is a man of many secrets, and it would be rather too difficult to list them out. Can Abhirami get out of these problems with the help of Ashwin and Rithika?

The defence of Mirage :: The way in which the movie starts in simplicity and becomes more and more complex with bigger conspiracies unveiled – this is something that keeps everyone at the edge of the seat, as we keep guessing what would come next. There are so many twists around here that keeps us interested, and we can only keep predicting, but the twists are even more. We would have the feeling that we are in a strange terrain, terrifying not because of the presence of an evil entity or due to corporate evil, but because there are so many twists to come and many people are going to get killed, with most of the twisted world going beyond the usual. The performances nicely complement the same, as villains might not be the main antagonists, as there is negative in the people who seem to be good and supportive. The movie is a twis-producing factory and this process of changing the world we know, continues till the end without fail. The visuals and the music are all nicely contributing with quality here. How the tale goes on to power itself by the interval would also be something we like to see around.

The claws of flaw :: As it could be seen in many memes on the social media, there is the curse of having unbelievable plot twists and too many of them around here – the last time when there were this many absurd and unnecessary twists were shown, was in a movie called Bicycle Thieves, also led by Asif Ali, where the twists and even the story could not be contained in the framework which was already built – this one could contain the story, but not the twists which were like zombies in a bakery selling brains with a small flavour of chocolate. A movie can have twists, but a movie should not be for twists, as we realize the same here. The final double twist was rather dumb, and it felt like the whole purpose of the movie was destroyed. The movie is also too long, and it does not have that material in a script written for twists, going to two and half hours. The intensity is also not felt around here, as in between, the main characters seem to be resigned to their fate and feels like they are doing all of these for namesake. The danger in the movie also feels hesitant, as if everyone is waiting for the twists.

The performers of the soul :: Asif Ali and Aparana Balamurali are known to work together really well, as it was seen in a much-appreciated movie also featuring Vijayaraghavan from last year, and they repeat the same here too. Aparna is very convincing as the girl who is in trouble, but also harbours so many secrets – her reality would be much different, and the same is nicely reflected in her approach here. Asif Ali’s evolution as an actor continues going on from Thalavan, Rekhachitram, Aabhyanthara Kuttavali and others, but here he gets too less in comparison to Aparna on whom the movie is centred – there are times when we feel that her character could have just required minimum help from any unnamed side characters and it was enough for her. Maheshinte Prathikaaram would still remain the greatest movie of Aparna. Still, the one who would catch our attention the most would be Hannah Reji Koshy who brought us that so much unexpected and classic twist of Kooman with ease, after that debut in Darvinte Parinamam and following it up with two entirely different roles in Rakshadhikari Baiju Oppu and Theerppu – she classically blends in here. The villains are all strong here, but struggles by the end, while Sampath Raj remains very strong.

How it finishes :: Mirage just depends on too much of the twists and so many twists, and that strange final unwanted divergence that keeps it down, despite moving so well towards the interval, as the first half really had us interested. There is surely that feeling that there is so much that is to come, but the story struggles in between and comes down by the end with that ordinary flashback and twisting around. This was surely going to be something huge, but does not become the same with that problematic coming down in quality in between. The pace also goes down, as we would hope for this movie to be much shorter and not having that quick end. The skills which are shown in the beginning stages are what carries us towards the end, along with those special twists in between – we are interested in this one for sure. Even though this is not his story, a little bit of Jeethu Joseph touch we had seen in Memories, Drishyam and Drishyam 2 can be seen here, even though that strength is not carried throughout the run even though there was such a great chance in here.

Release date: 19th September 2025
Running time: 150 minutes
Directed by: Jeethu Joseph
Starring: Asif Ali, Aparna Balamurali, Hannah Reji Koshy, Saravanan, Sampath Raj, Hakim Shahjahan, Deepak Parambol, Arjun Syam Gopan, Aruvi Madhan

@ Cemetery Watch
✠ The Vampire Bat.

Maine Pyar Kiya

Posted on by

Vampire Owl: I have heard this title before.

Vampire Bat: I am sure that everyone in India knows this title.

Vampire Owl: So, an original title was unavailable.

Vampire Bat: This is only meant to make things feel interesting.

Vampire Owl: Well, the Malayalam translated title would not be interesting.

Vampire Bat: I could still suggest a few names.

Vampire Owl: I am sure that Dr. Frankenstein could give some better names.

Vampire Bat: I am more certain that Mr. Frankenstein has names only for himself.

Vampire Owl: It is obvious. He is a hero of different worlds.

Vampire Bat: There is no world that would take this particular pseudo-scientist with a smile.

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

What is the movie about? :: Aryan (Hridhu Haroon) is a college dropout who had to leave his studies early as he created that kind of a fight in the college with his seniors, which would be remembered in a bad light for very long. The college is also not ready to give him his school certificates before he pays for the damages he caused in the college, which is as high as three lakhs. During one of his visits to college to get the certificates, he comes across Nidhi (Preity Mukhundhan), a young woman from Madurai who studies in Kerala as her mother is working in the railways and had got transferred there. With the advice of his elder friends Nixon (Askar Ali) and Tony (Sreekanth Vettiyar), he tries to make her fall in love with him. But Nidhi does not have any feelings for him, and due to her strict her parents, she tries to keep everyone away from her and focus only on her studies. Aryan continues to stalk her, even though she pleads with him to leave her alone. He even comes to her house, leading to him getting beaten up.

So, what happens with the events here as we just keep looking? :: She finally agrees to just talk to him, and after having food together outside campus on a day of strike, her parents get to know that she, along with many students went out of the campus during the strike and skipped the classes. Nidhi is desperate to make sure that her mother does not know, and hearing about the situation, Aryan arranges for someone who call her home and say that everything is okay, and she was in the college. But as her mother comes to know about it from the college itself and comes to the campus, she realizes that there are stories about her and Aryan being spread. Desperate to escape the situation and the wrath of the parents, she gets into Aryan’s car. They drive away, but the story only gets worse, as a kidnap case is filed against Aryan. The police start searching for them, and they keep going further. But the question remains if Nidhi will ever really fall in love with Aryan. There is also the question of what the two families think about this.

The defence of Maine Pyar Kiya :: The movie seems like it is elevating itself on multiple occasions, especially after the fake call made to the home of leading actress. We will feel that there will twist which will follow, and we go through some relevant moments after that. The movie remains at a higher level until the team of friends get attacked by goons, and there is a good run in between, as we have moments of family, friendship and understanding between people, making the whole thing a pretty well-crafted drama that works. When a movie seems to exist more as multiple identities in one, as signified in the initial moments itself, one would expect such ups and downs. The humour works in here, when there is no stalking involved – those moments are not funny or even romantic like some people might feel. The overall quality is surely felt with what is shown on the screen, and the visuals contribute to the positives. Even though the action is out of place, it is also done well. The ending is justified, and we know that a true romantic movie is never about the lovers uniting, but about them finding happiness in life maybe without each other.

The claws of flaw :: The movie’s cluelessness after the middle part gets over and also the complication by the end is what gives us the struggle too. Despite starting as one thing and by the end of first half, slowly turning into something else keeps us wonder what exactly are we watching. Then there is that showoff with the good romantic boy going for stalking the girl whom he thinks is good-looking and she is also the one who should tell him that she loves him. This understanding of him is mainly because he knows a lot of filmy dialogues and also because he did not tell a girl that he loved her in school which led to she getting into another relationship. Then there are so may goons who confuse the hero and his friends for somebody else when they are in Madurai and starts beating them up and vice versa? This is indeed a strange parallel universe which is not even good enough to bring the chaos comedy in action. The stalking and the random fights between random gangs just bring nothing around here at all, as we feel that just the subplot and some confused souls would have made the movie shorter and sharper, keeping the main thing relevant. This was not really that difficult to do, with two worlds in two states established easily enough.

The performers of the soul :: Hridhu Haroon feels nicely suited for the role, and seems to do his job well, even though the tale does not allow him to beyond certain limitations – this is that kind of a character, a stalker and disturbance who claims to be in love and wishes to be romantic. If we still like the character, it is just because of his portrayal and body language. Preity Mukhundhan’s entry into Malayalam cinema is a good one, and there is no doubt about that one. Her characterization is very good, and her transformation is also effective, even outside the movie’s limits. Among the friend characters, it is Askar Ali who is the most noticeable. Arjun Sundharesan, Midhutty and Sreekanth Vettiyar remains effective among the friends too. Jeo Baby as the father figure might be one of the best father-figures of the year. Antony Varghese’s cameo was totally unnecessary, and that character is of absolutely no relevance. The reason for his cameo character existing will make even Sisyphus wonder like never before in his life. The friendship side of performance work nicely in favour of the movie.

How it finishes :: Maine Pyar Kiya could have been so many things, but it only ends up becoming a small part of itself, achieving only a little, deviating multiple times, and seemingly coming back, and often confused about its own identity. But it does have its moments, and even when we feel that it is done, the movie survives, and feels like the grandmother of comebacks. The movie does not go into that abyss of eternal chaos as some reviews seem to suggest, for it is like an Assault mode map of Unreal Tournament 99 Game of the Year Edition, for it is never done, as you struggle to complete one objective, then you easily go through the next, then finish the game in style when you feel that it as all going to end badly – maybe saved by that teammate who did not do much in the earlier part of the movie. Well, you know that this one is now available on Amazon Prime Video, and most of us have opted for the Prime option due to the need for buying so many things from the online marketplace – so, watching this one on a free day will not hurt, as there is some fun, and the youngsters around here are indeed good and deserves some attention.

Release date: 29th August 2025
Running time: 147 minutes
Directed by: Faizal Faziludeen
Starring: Hridhu Haroon, Preity Mukhundhan, Askar Ali, Midhutty, Jeo Baby, Arjun Sundharesan, Bibin Perumbillil, Abhimanue Sajeev, Redin Kingsley, Thrikkannan, Mime Gopi, Sai Dheena, Sreekanth Vettiyar, Jagadeesh Janardhan, Jibin Rexa

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

<<< Click here to go to the biggest movie of the year.

@ Cemetery Watch
✠ The Vampire Bat.

Vedaa

Posted on by

Vampire Owl: We are once again into Hindi movies, aren’t we?

Vampire Bat: Well, we have the skills to find the best among them, don’t we?

Vampire Owl: The good ones are rarely noticed though.

Vampire Bat: They do not even travel that much to reach our theatres.

Vampire Owl: We will only have the movies with big names around here.

Vampire Bat: Well, human world would never be fair. They won’t transform.

Vampire Owl: I would question the existence of humanity among humans. Maybe it can be found in the atlas.

Vampire Bat: Humanity is not part of human nature – for them, it is just a word formation.

Vampire Owl: Maybe they should use vampire before the last three letters.

Vampire Bat: They are murdering their arts subjects and languages – soon, they will be left without any word to express their existences. There is no chance to rise like a phoenix either.

[Gets a savala vada and three cups of Yercaud tea].

What is the movie about? :: Vedaa Berwa (Sharvari Wagh) is a Dalit law student who hopes to make it big in studies as well as through sports. She lives with her family in Barmer, Rajasthan, and an IIT-educated Jitendar Pratap Singh (Abhishek Banerjee), a man who seems to be very progressive due to his care for the environment and use of green and renewable energy is the chief of one hundred and fifty villages there. She is always made fun of and verbally abused by the upper-caste people as part of the existing caste discrimination there, and even hesitates to drink water from the same tap which others use. As her siblings also face the same fate, she decides to train herself in boxing to protect her family. But she is forced to clean the floors due to her caste status and is not allowed to learn the sport. Her sister Gehna Berwa (Tanvi Malhara) feels that she should boxing and become the defender of the family in one way or the other.

So, what happens with the events here as we just keep looking? :: Her brother Vinod Barwe (Anurag Thakur) has fallen in love with Aarti Meghwal (Urvashi Dubey) who is from a high caste, and due to the lawlessness there and with police being the goons of the higher caste people, there was never going to be an inter-caste marriage, even if both families agree to the same. The higher caste men would take the law into their caste and beat up both families, and if they complain to the police, it is them who would be locked up – there are many fake cases that could be charged, from inciting violence to human trafficking with a whole police station and goons working together. It is shown that the highly educated Jitendar Pratap Singh is the one who controls all of these, and maintains the order of castes in the name of divine origin of the practice. He would go to any extent to make sure that his world is maintained as he wishes.

And what more is to be added to this world awaiting chaos at all times? :: It is then that Abhimanyu Kanwar (John Abraham) makes an entrance. He was a major in the army who was court-martialed for disobeying orders to bring a terrorist named Ilyas Kashmiri (Gowhar Khan) back alive. The same terrorist was responsible for the brutal murder of Abhimanyu’s wife Raashi (Tamannah Bhatia). Abhimanyu joins as an assistant sports coach in Vedaa’s college. He sees her attempts, and also how she is humiliated repeatedly for her caste despite her academic skills and efforts at sports. One day, she is brutally beaten up by the higher caste boys, who also record the same on their mobile phone. Abhimanyu decides to train her, and she shows steady improvement, but the love story of her brother comes to the picture, and lands them all in trouble. As both of her siblings are killed, Abhimanyu decides to protect her. But how far can he succeed in the same while being hunted by people in power?

The defence of Vedaa :: As a movie with a realistic side and the elements that would appeal to the general audience, there is a lot of strength that can be seen around here. The movie starts really well, and also maintains an emotional side throughout its run. The action sequences are effective too, and never goes on with an overdose. This never lowers the level like those mass masala entertainers of superstars. John Abraham is perfectly suited for the role here, and he is one actor who brings lesser known, but classic works to the screen. Sharvari is also really good and blends in here with ease. She brings the emotional side to work while going through the helplessness of the character really well. Abhishek Banerjee makes a sinister villain to create an impact with more than one face and Ashish Vidyarthi also provides good support. Tanvi Malhara as the sister remains lovable. The message of the movie works well, and it elevates the movie at times, especially during the first half. Due the same, the movie gains further strength.

The claws of flaw :: The strong start of the movie is not maintained throughout its run, and there is no rising in level for the work. Some of the moments just deviate from its central idea. The movie could have also been better hyped to bring the interest of people, without which it seems to have struggled to make its presence felt. After all, there are other similar sounding movies, and without the big names at the top who does the usual dumb mass masala stuff, this was always going to go through some struggle. The ending does seem rather predictable, and some of the decisions taken by experienced adult characters seem to be strange too. There were also so many other things which could have been achieved with this particular movie which seems to feel the need to go with the ordinary, maybe to be on the safe side. If this was in another language far into the south, there would have been risks taken, and the movie improved. There is a lot that a flick can achieve with this premise for sure.

How it finishes :: Vedaa seems have suffered due to the lack of audience who would watch a movie without big superstars and staying close to reality – it has never been the thing with Bollywood for a long time as we think about it. The lack of interest of the Bollywood audience in movies like these is rather disappointing, as mass masala seems to be the only genre that could make an impact. It is to be noted that there were times when we actually preferred Hindi movies over others, but nowadays the only good ones stay for such less amount of time in the theatres even if they come. Let us celebrate movies like this at least now, and hope for more to come. The revival of Bollywood to focus on quality material in still awaited, as a few drops of quality come like this one. These days, it seems that John Abraham is one actor who can really be trusted, from the greatness of Madras Cafe and a following Rocky Handsome.

Release date: 15th August 2024
Running time: 151 minutes
Directed by: Nikkhil Advani
Starring: John Abraham, Sharvari Wagh, Abhishek Banerjee, Ashish Vidyarthi, Kumud Mishra, Rajendra Chawla, Tanvi Malhara, Anurag Thakur, Urvashi Dubey, Rajoshri Vidyarthi, Parag Sharma, Danish Husain, Kapil Nirmal, Ajeet Singh Palawat, Meena Shankar, Kshitij Chauhan, Akshay Sharma, Toshab Bagri, Abhishek Deswal, Paritosh Sand, Gowhar Khan, Nirmal Chaudhury, Manu Shekhar, Monisha Advani, Tamannah Bhatia (Cameo), Mouni Roy (Cameo)

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

@ Cemetery Watch
✠ The Vampire Bat.

Nokturno

Posted on by

Vampire Owl: This should surely be about us.

Vampire Bat: Why do you keep feeling that so many movies would be about us?

Vampire Owl: Well, because we are the true nocturnal creatures?

Vampire Bat: Even zombies walk around only at night.

Vampire Owl: I have seen a few like a smaller army in daylight though.

Vampire Bat: They are not zombies, but humans without brains.

Vampire Owl: There are many humans like that?

Vampire Bat: Yes, mostly the fans of some celebrities and blind supporters of political ideologies.

Vampire Owl: I did not know that they were not extinct.

Vampire Bat: Well, they are surely rising in power, stronger than ever in the human world which faces many apocalyptic events at the same time.

[Gets a packet of Milk Bikis and three cups of Munnar tea].

What is the movie about? :: Jamie (Nadine Lustre) has been working as an overseas worker in Dubai and has returned to her hometown of San Sebastian following her younger sister Joanna’s (Bea Binene) mysterious death. Her mother Lilet (Eula Valdez) feels that a sinister curse which is part of the Filipino folklore of the kumakatok is haunting them and also took her daughter to the grave. According to the folklore, these are ghostly figures that knock on the doors after midnight, and those who open them are doomed to be die or at least lose a loved one within three days. Jamie does not believe in any of these, and feels that her mother is mentally sick, in need of treatment. Joanna’s boyfriend Manu (Wilbert Ross) feels that the curse is real, as his girlfriend had talked about the same before death and he has also been having some hallucinations after her death. He wishes to stop this, but is too afraid to do anything about it.

So, what happens with the events here as we just keep looking? :: The explanations of the police officers do not seem to satisfy any of them. Most of the locals think that it was a suicide just like those self-proclaimed logical ones. It seems that the curse has bound itself to the family, and escape only gets more and more difficult as time passes, and someone or the other is taken from among their beloved, and their father was just one of them. These kumakatoks need lives and they are not going to stop, as it is told by more than one person who have heard about the folklore. Jamie is still not a person of villages and small towns of the country. She had left this lesser-known simple world a long time ago and would not have come back there under any circumstance. But is this the beginning of the end for them? Can the family stick together and fight against this centuries-old pure evil that takes souls to another world? Is there really some kind of supernatural force or is there some sinister person or mental disorder at work? Is it already late to act and find a solution or can the protagonist return in peace?

The defence of Nokturno :: The Kumakatok myth from the folklore of Philippines has been used well, and it is something that our world is not aware of, and is not seen that much around. The atmospheric horror works really well, and the focus on rural areas makes some moments even more interesting with the mysterious supernatural side. The sound effects also add nicely to the horror, and it seems to be around at all times in the background. The connection between modernity and a largely ignored world of the past can be easily seen. The mystery is present at all times, and we know that the danger awaits, even though there is nothing directly shown around here. The folklores of all nations should be part of a knowledge system based on horror, and it is something that we should keep learning as part of understanding different cultures and traditions. After all, myths based on demons are stronger than any other, as we are all driven by fear and the lack of understanding of the supernatural, which drives this movie too. To add to the same, there is an emotional side around here too.

The claws of flaw :: The movie is still too slow as it moves forward, and the horror is not that much mainstream terrifying, as the common audience look at it. This means that the commercial side will not keep the movie going forward. The smooth transition to horror is not always there, and slowing down seems to come naturally to this movie. There is a little bit of too much talk around here instead of getting the horror wings. We never really get to see a monster with all its glory, and most of the time it is all about finding the knocks at night and being afraid of something which might happen because there is this folklore about which the mother-figure believes so much. There is too much left to the imagination, and the problem with the same is that some people might end up choosing not to imagine at all, and there is lies the true lack of horror, and a curse that could not be fully effective. There are a few things that will always work in the case of horror movies, and this one seems to forget that with a certain amount of convenience.

The performers of the soul :: The movie has an outstanding performance by Nadine Lustr who connects to both the horror and emotions really well. She provides the character with the much-needed emotional depth, as it is that kind of a character who returns home after such a long time, and some grief and regret are to be present. Bea Binene has her moments in the first few minutes, and we would wish to have seen her for a longer period of time. She seems to suit a scream queen situation quite well, and would suit bigger roles in many horror movies which are to come. Eula Valdez adds further emotional depth to the tale, and the tragic side of this story remains close to her performance. Wilbert Ross has also come up with an emotionally memorable performance. JJ Quilantang as the younger brother also has something do around here, and the same is done well. Ku Aquino’s work also remains memorable, as his character creates a certain amount of hope against all odds.

How it finishes :: This only the second movie from Philippines being reviewed here, and the first one was also quite an emotional horror work in the form of Outside, with the presence of zombies and the world almost reaching an end. I had heard a lot about this movie, and I was sure that it had to be watched sometime soon enough – it could have been the first Filippino movie to be reviewed, but missed the same in the first attempt. This one might not be everyone’s cup of demon, but in a world of evil humans, we need all the demons we can take, and taking them from folklore would always be the best option. The movie might not that much be liked for the pace, and people would have wanted to see more scary things on screen, but this remains strong enough, even without the same. The soul of the horror here lies in the certainty of loss and the absolute grief that will haunt them for an eternity, if they survive. Well, horror has always been the true human reality, unlike most of the fantasy that they show with romantic and feel-good movies.

Release date: 31st October 2024
Running time: 99 minutes
Directed by: Mikhail Red
Starring: Nadine Lustre, Eula Valdez, Bea Binene, Wilbert Ross, Ku Aquino, JJ Quilantang

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

@ Cemetery Watch
✠ The Vampire Bat.

Nosferatu

Posted on by

Vampire Owl: Finally, our Count is coming back to the big screen.

Vampire Bat: This one is not really the true Dracula Uncle.

Vampire Owl: Well, Count Orlok is not lesser than Count Dracula.

Vampire Bat: I have heard from humans that this Orlok is an illegal version.

Vampire Owl: Well, there are no such rules in vampire kingdom, right?

Vampire Bat: Human rules need not apply here, but we should know.

Vampire Owl: We will never really know the humans.

Vampire Bat: We will know everything except their inherent evil.

Vampire Owl: Well, which is why we do not transform humans into vampires anymore.

Vampire Bat: I am sure that they want to; the greed for eternal life and perpetual youth.

[Gets a tea cake and three cups of Ooty tea].

What is the movie about? :: Ellen Hutter (Lily-Rose Depp) is a recently married young woman who has had too many nightmares in her life in the past, and it is revealed that her recent bad dream about being married to death and everyone around her dead. It is revealed that while looking for consolation from her loneliness and depression in life, during her random chants and prayers, she had ended up creating a psychic link with Count Orlok (Bill Skarsgård), or what they villagers of Romania used to call Nosferatu, with Romanian roots. The nocturnal creature of pure evil had marked Ellen from thousands of kilometres away, and this connection often led her into situations of seizures and sleepwalking. She keeps having hallucinations and a feeling of being with death, from which escape seems almost impossible. She has been living in the German town of Wisborg with her husband Thomas Hutter (Nicholas Hoult) and is irreversibly in love with him as it seems, but this connection seems to have journeyed through the unimaginable, the darkest of the woods and deepest of the rivers and lakes.

So, what happens with the events here as we just keep looking? :: It is then that Thomas accepts the offer to sell the partially ruined Grünewald Manor to a reclusive lord named Count Orlok located somewhere in Romania. Ellen talks about her nightmares and pleads Thomas not to leave for those unknown lands where a certain cursed evil lurks, but the offer from his employer is too much for him not to accept this opportunity of a life time. He leaves her in the care of his wealthy friend and famous shipbuilder Friedrich Harding (Aaron Taylor-Johnson) and his wife Anna Harding (Emma Corrin) who lives with their two little daughters. As he arrives at the Carpathians in the Transylvanian area of Romania, Thomas is warned not to wander around during the nights and not to visit Orlok. During the same night, he still wanders around and witnesses a group of gypsies running a ritual with a fully naked woman on a horse which ends with the exhuming and impaling a vampire’s corpse with a wooden stake, ending the undead life with a lot of blood coming out of its mouth. The next morning, he finds no help or support, and leaves for the count’s castle alone and on foot.

And what is to follow as the Count maintains all the control over the world known to him? :: In his castle, Count Orlok welcomed Thomas as the aristocrat that required respect at all times. But soon, his existence as something more than human is revealed to Thomas, who hopes to escape, but the paths of the castle only lead to the crypt where the count is sleeping in his coffin, and he is not able to attack him as the vampire awakens, and so do his demonic hounds. He understands that he will have to remain a prisoner in the castle forever, as the document which the count made him sign might not be the Romanian version of the deal concerning the property, but a document dissolving his marriage to Ellen and the vampire had also taken his locket, containing a lock of her hair. He understands the vampire is going after his wife, and jumps into the river below the castle to escape. But the count has already started his journey and has infested a ship which is on its way to Germany. He will not stop at anything unless he becomes together with Ellen. Can anyone stop this evil from embracing her and also spread through the whole of Western Europe? Or will the blood-seeking demon have a blood feast that will last forever?

The defence of Nosferatu :: The movie achieves atmospheric horror and thrives with the sound effects as much as the visuals. There is fear running through the air, as we rarely see a world thriving on light here. The psychological side very strong here, and the performance of Lily-Rose Depp is truly magical here, with so many moments to remember, and the final few moments of her is out of this world. I cannot stop myself from not being the new admirer of Johnny Depp’s daughter as I have been a fan of him. I can say that I have never seen the main female character of any version of Bram Stoker’s work getting such attention which is supported by a performance of grandeur. The connection to the demonic creature and talk about all of this terror has never been so perfectly detailed and connected to the female lead. Nicholas Hoult and Willem Dafoe works the roles just as expected, while Bill Skarsgård’s demon is something we have not seen before, well divergent in looks and actions to create more terror. Aaron Taylor-Johnson and Emma Corin move through expected paths. These are not just characters, but people who immerse us in their wisely created world with fine performances.

Positives and negatives :: It can be said that there is no movie based on Bram Stoker’s work that has provided an emotional and haunting touch like this one, and a terrifying vampire movie becoming an emotional tale of love and selflessness keeps us rooting for the film even more, like never before. The movie basically like music which strives for a fight against the most terrifying form of evil with love. By the end, here we know that as evil always finds a way, so does goodness and self-sacrifice. Finally, we know that the melancholy of the main character is not hers alone, but of all of us. It is a poetry on what it takes to thrive against the most ancient forms of evil. The sequence in the forest makes a fine reflection which is to come, and there are some classic shots in the castle that elevates this movie to a psychic-psychological mood which is rarely seen in the adaptations. The final image from where the camera zooms out reflects the same, and that too with a melancholic beauty. There is also some work with demonic possession, which is actually shown without any overdose. This is indeed a fine Gothic work that reflects the Victorian Age even when not in Britain. The one thing that we might really be missing is the Brides of Dracula.

How it finishes :: This is the one movie which becomes a fine divergent tribute to both the 1922 version of Nosferatu and the many later versions of Dracula as well as the original book, along with being a different entity in itself. There seems to be so many inspirations, and many creative ideas placed around here. This version is sure to be remembered as a classic in future, no matter problems critics would find, which would be lost in the process. This version might be the one which needs even more attention than what it has managed. This is that version of the vampire that maintains all kinds of feeling which are related to a vampire as a nocturnal creature that feeds from the lifeforce of humans. There are not many movies which can pay homage to so many of its predecessors and still remain something new. This one, with some fantastic performance and an atmosphere which would put even the high-budget movies to shame, manages to rise and seek theatre experience – it is quite depressing that the movie was not really found in theatres when it released.

Release date: 25th December 2024
Running time: 132 minutes
Directed by: Robert Eggers
Starring: Bill Skarsgård, Nicholas Hoult, Lily-Rose Depp, Aaron Taylor-Johnson, Emma Corrin, Willem Dafoe, Katerina Bila

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

@ Cemetery Watch
✠ The Vampire Bat.

The Platform 2

Posted on by

Vampire Owl: Do you remember the last time a platform was lowered in the castle?

Vampire Bat: I am sure that we have different kinds of platform here.

Vampire Owl: Like a platform to display the skills?

Vampire Bat: All vampires have the same special skills.

Vampire Owl: There are no two vampires belonging to the same species.

Vampire Bat: One a vampire, always the same species.

Vampire Owl: The undead is not a species, for it is a status.

Vampire Bat: We are beyond all status in all territories.

Vampire Owl: There is something more running underneath.

Vampire Bat: You are listening too much to the blasphemy by Mr. Frankenstein.

[Gets a kadai chicken puffs and three cups of Munnar tea].

What is the movie about? :: In the first movie, it was seen that a number of inmates are housed in pairs on different numbered levels of a very massive tower-like structure without doors which seems to have no beginning and the end. It was also seen that a platform filled with food descends once per day from the top to the bottom, stopping for a very short time on each level’s cell. Each floor had two occupants with a central hole for the platform to pass. The top floors used to get a lot of food while the lower floors got nothing – nobody was allowed to hoard the food either. A young woman named Perempuan (Milena Smit) and and a big man called by the name Zamiatin (Hovik Keuchkerian) find themselves in the same floor as partners in the food which is to come from above in the structure which is known to have 333 floors. The reach level 24 this time, which means that they can have some food now, until a change occurs. Next month, they could end up having more, or most probably much less food going nowhere.

So, what happens with the events here as we just keep looking? :: This vertical prison would need more than just a random plan to survive. The two new members are introduced to the informal rules of the prison – they should join the loyalists who follow the rules, and only eat what they had chosen as the favourite food before entering the prison. This would ensure that the maximum levels of people can get the food and nobody would die. They call those people who are against these rules as barbarians because they eat as much as they want, leading to food shortages due to the platform not being bigger than a usual dining table. As the new entrants try to keep the law as much as possible, they gather more information like on the existence of The Messiah, a mythical figure that could survive without food and then sacrificed his own leg to feed others who were going to die by starvation. His followers known as the Anointed Ones, keep the loyalist laws alive and punish those who violate these rules after appearing all of a sudden without invitation.

And what more is there to surprise us? :: Zamiatin who understands that he had broken the laws and will be punished along with his cell partner, sets himself on fire and jumps into the pit to death. This saves Perempuán from the possible punishment, and the very next month, she is paired with a one-armed woman named Sahabat (Natalia Tena) on level 51. She talks to Perempuán about Dagin Babi (Óscar Jaenada) who is the Anointed One that punishes everyone who makes even the smallest deviations from the law. She shares the story of how her arm was cut off and the girl who was her partner was stripped naked and tied to the platform in a spreadeagle position after removing all the food, to be eaten alive by the people of lower levels. She hopes to end this fearful existence by faking their deaths by consuming portions of an oil painting at the lower level, which would also make them immune to the gas which knocks out all prisoners. But can she succeed or will both of them face similar fates as their predecessors who did not obey the rules?

The defence of The Platform 2 :: The two big performers lead the way, Milena Smit and Natalia Tena, and the former making an impact in the least amount of time. Hovik Keuchkerian also leaves a mark in the process. The movie successfully becomes a reflection of our society where some people get them all and succeed through selfish ways, while the selfless remain without success. Selfishness and dehumanization are natural in the movie, just as reflected in human world. The world is once again nicely detailed, and so is the brutality, and if it was not shown well enough, the same would have been lost in the process. The movie does not take a step back in most of those cases, as the world begins to feel real despite the fictionality in which it is placed. This makes the film the perfect survival movie. There has never been a movie that has better shown so many selfish humans in one place, with all the terrifying sides present.

The claws of flaw :: The movie feels like a repetition of the first movie, and struggles to bring that innovation which has kept this franchise apart. This time, some part of an explanation could have been shown about this particular vertical prison and how it has existed and the reason for its inception along with who controls the same like a lab. The movie leaves one with no hope, as the world seems to continue in the same way, with no hope for redemption to the inmates. Even though one feels so many genres within this movie, there seems to be the lack of satisfaction with most of them. The movie could have also developed the character of Natalia better, and a certain flashback could have been shown to further spread the uneasy fear. All the violence in the movie may not be suitable for everyone, but nobody can doubt its requirement within the film – considering the background tale, the gore cannot be considered as that much.

How it finishes :: I have liked The Platform 2 as much as I liked The Platform. There was the feeling of innovation with the first movie, and with version, the feeling of terror seems to be elevated with the presence of even more cruelty and hopelessness even without bringing more innovation. The reality of the present world is more or less reflected yet again, as the rich gets richer and the poor gets poorer. It is that kind of a world which was shown in the Malayalam film Mukundan Unni Associates long ago, as those who find themselves in control and with success here are those who manipulate the system, ruthlessly exploit others’ misfortunes and find no morality in actions. The truth about humanity and their hoarding of wealth remains the same, and it would never change. The movie symbolically points to the same many times, and we are not tired of watching any number of movies with platforms of food.

Release date: 4th October 2024 (Netflix)
Running time: 101 minutes
Directed by: Galder Gaztelu-Urrutia
Starring: Hovik Keuchkerian, Milena Smit, Natalia Tena, Óscar Jaenada, Iván Massagué, Zorion Eguileor, Antonia San Juan

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

@ Cemetery Watch
✠ The Vampire Bat.

Madame Web

Posted on by

Vampire Owl: I have a doubt if this is about World Wide Web.

Vampire Bat: I am sure that there is no relation to that particular web.

Vampire Owl: What about the web woven by a Vampire Spider?

Vampire Bat: I do not know about any such spider being appointed.

Vampire Owl: Spiders can always be evil.

Vampire Bat: There are some spiders that are too lazy to be evil.

Vampire Owl: They still weave some fine webs.

Vampire Bat: There is no web that is woven by vampires through.

Vampire Owl: The whole vampire community is part of one interconnected web.

Vampire Bat: Well, there is truth in that point.

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

What is the movie about? :: Cassandra Webb (Dakota Johnson) works as a paramedic in New York City, and tries to help as many people as she can. She works with her good friends Ben Parker (Adam Scott) and O’Neil (Mike Epps), and attempts to save lives, and during one among a few accidents, she has a near-death experience. After this incident, she begins to have visions about her future, and after seeing her friend die, but being not able to stop the incident, becomes sure about what she has been witnessing in the last few days. Meanwhile, a man named Ezekiel Sims (Tahar Rahim), who has certain precognition power and some enhanced physical abilities resembling a spider, is trying to find three teenage girls who might end up killing him in the future according to his visions – Julia Cornwall (Sydney Sweeney), Anya Corazon (Isabela Merced) and Mattie Franklin (Celeste O’Connor) comes under his radar and he would finish them off before they try anything on him.

So, what happens with the events here as we just keep looking? :: As Cassandra and the three girls end up in the same coach in the train, she begins to see vision of the death of the girls in the hand of Ezekiel, which alerts her as she tries to save them. Ezekiel seems to exhibit the powers of spiders at the same time. This makes Ezekiel aware of her presence, and begins to chase all of them. The group just manages to save themselves from the chaser. She hides the girls in a forest area and goes back home searching for answers as everything seems to lead back to her mother who had traveled all the way to the Amazon forests while researching on spiders. As she somewhat understands what is happening, the girls go to a diner for food where Ezekiel finds them, but Cassandra has a vision which helps her to intervene at the right time. But it is to be seen how long she can continue to protect the girls as the man seems to be too powerful for anyone to stop. Will Cassandra be able to find something from the past which could finally stop him?

The defence of Madame Web :: The idea of the movie has been pretty well-executed, and there is no unnecessary melodrama like that of Guardians of the Galaxy which goes silly for even racoon. Madame Web keeps the balance as we keep feeling for the characters, but without the melodrama. There is also a certain amount of classic look throughout the movie. It is always more joy to watch three Spider-girls on the screen rather than the Spider-Men. We just had too much of the new generation of dumb Spider-Man that it is less relevant, and we need Madame Web and her Spider-Girls in action. Saving three girls by going through the terrifying situation and taking the right action to change the future just seen, only keeps getting more and more interesting. The villain here is nothing less than a Spider-Man of another kind, but not related the urban radio-active one. The trackback to the interiors of jungle also suits another kind of spider-world quite well. The big names of this movie adds to the whole thing with ease too.

The claws of flaw :: There could have been a lot that this movie could accomplish, but it does stay behind, lagging with no particular reason. There could have been signs of later battles, and present battles could have also been more intense. The foreshadowing could have actually more intense, with such a cast around. One would keep wondering when all of these get to be full of high intense non-stop action, but that is not what this movie is about. With the possibility of a sequel never seemingly there, we might be losing the opportunity to see something huge on the screen. There has also not been enough right publicity about the movie at least in this part of the world. This could have been more related to some specially-powered spiders, supernatural, paranormal, radio-active or whatever names one would wish to call them. After all, the world of spiders should always be about something special and not much more.

The performers of the soul :: There are some big names here among the performers. Dakota Johnson who is known to most of the people around us due to her leading work in Fifty Shades of Grey and its sequels which changed more than one shade when on the screen. Stepdaughter to one of our favourite actors remembered for cult classics, Antonio Banderas, she has worked through this with ease, even though one would have wanted her to go through the powers in a more stylish and elegant manner. Among the next leading ladies, Sydney Sweeney has the best moments, and the much-loved star with The Voyeurs fame all around the world through a quick release on Amazon Prime, surely becomes the best Spider-girl around here, and that is evident in the one action scene from the future which involves them in combat. Isabela Merced who was seen in Alien Covenant comes next in a role which has her as the more matured one around. Celeste O’Connor contrasts with her character well, but is the less interesting one. Tahar Rahim’s villain is indeed an interesting one, even though at times, he acts too strange for a person of his level of villainy.

How it finishes :: Madame Web is surely not that bad movie that you should miss, and listening to the critics and looking at the box-office collections are not required at this moment. This is one Marvel movie with spider-elements that means more than what meets the eye. There seems to be a certain amount of natural flow in this movie and the web that it seems to have with its story, is very well connected. With some visual splendour also on the screen, one has to wonder how this is not better than most of those Spider-Man movies around, with those predictable paths and foolish main characters including the silly superhero who puts the other powerless heroes to shame. If people would prefer characters like Deadpool that makes no sense in comparison to this one, it is only a matter of time when we begin to doubt the senses that prevail these days. I could not catch this movie at the theatres despite eagerly waiting for it, but surely could catch it on Netflix later, for which I am very much glad. I would surely love to see a sequel with these three Spider-girls around, especially that of Sydney Sweeney who makes a fine superhero.

Release date: 14th February 2024
Running time: 116 minutes
Directed by: S J Clarkson
Starring: Dakota Johnson, Sydney Sweeney, Isabela Merced, Celeste O’Connor, Tahar Rahim, Mike Epps, Emma Roberts, Adam Scott

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

@ Cemetery Watch
✠ The Vampire Bat.