Tag Archives: nostalgia

Winnie the Pooh 2

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Vampire Owl: I am aware of this guy known as Mr. Winnie.

Vampire Bat: Are you sure that he is really the one?

Vampire Owl: Dr. Frankenstein had talked to me about it.

Vampire Bat: Mr. Frankenstein is not a doctor or scientist.

Vampire Owl: But he speaks a lot of truth and is a man of truth even beyond borders.

Vampire Bat: His truth has always been twisted.

Vampire Owl: So, do you think that this Winnie is dangerous?

Vampire Bat: He is a classic serial killer, and the secret is out now.

Vampire Owl: Uncle Dracula should be warned then.

Vampire Bat: Well, he has no access to our realm.

[Gets a thattu dosa and three cups of Kandy tea].

What is the movie about? :: A long time ago, Christopher Robin (Scott Chambers) was friends with a number of creatures in the Hundred Acre Wood whom he had left in the woods, and had attacked him on his return. They were friendly in the beginning and liked him as a child, but had turned feral and were starving after he left them there, which made them really angry at him as well as other humans due to abandonment and facing near death. After the capturing and following brutal massacres of his friends by these angry creatures, he returns to his childhood town of Ashdown hoping that he could find help, but Christopher is believed to be responsible by the people who do not believe in his story on the existence of such creatures which are part-human in looks and can even talk. He is not convicted due to lack of evidence, but common people do consider him as the killer of Maria (Maria Taylor), Jessica (Natasha Rose Mills) and others, and even vandalizes his family’s properties.

So, what happens with the events here as we just keep looking? :: Soon, a movie adaptation based on the brutal murders is released, further damaging Christopher’s reputation in Ashdown. Even though he had started working as a junior doctor after finishing his medical training, he understood that nobody really trusted him. He has to visit the psychiatrist Mary Darling (Teresa Banham) as he continues to have nightmares about the main villain who committed the murders, Winnie-the-Pooh (Ryan Oliva) and his side-kick Piglet (Eddy MacKenzie). Meanwhile, in the forest, Pooh and Piglet are forced to hide with their former friends Tigger (Lewis Santer) and Owl (Marcus Massey) as a few people who believed in Christopher’s story burned down where they could be hiding. But the question remains about how long their will stay in hiding and not seek to unleash themselves on the unsuspecting humans. They start by attacking a group of women who camps in the area while searching for the spirts in the forest.

And what more will follow here as terror keeps waiting? :: Meanwhile, Lexy (Tallulah Evans) is the one person who shows interest in him, and she seems to genuinely like him. Owl feels that it is time to get into the town and finish the humans who do not care for them. Some of the people who come to the forest finds the creatures, and are killed in the process, except for Aaron (Sam Barrett) who is taken to a hospital. Christopher feels that Pooh and his friends are behind this attack, but the police only question him as the attacks seem similar to what had happened long ago with him as the major suspect. It is then that he comes across Cavendish (Simon Callow), a man who hides some terrible secrets. He has much more to reveal about Pooh and his friends, and it would not do Christopher’s confidence any good, and nobody in the town would believe the same. But the creatures have reached incredibly close to the town, and will stop at nothing. Can Christopher convince his people well enough to be vigilant, with the creatures already chasing Lexy?

The defence of Winnie the Pooh: Blood and Honey 2 :: Seeing the so-called cute childhood heroes as villains is priceless, because the inherent evil in children, as seen in Lord of the Flies is enough to fuel the pure evil of these creatures who become the great slasher champions who are capable of a lot more than the regular Halloween or Scream antagonists. The monsters are nicely designed, even with roots on the cute characters. The origin story is nicely built here, with an ending that would surely spawn a sequel one way or the other. There is a certain twist in between regarding that, even though that would not qualify as a shock and stays more personal for the protagonist. The kills are creative enough, especially the last moments of the party remain classic. There is creativity in that violence while staying close to the slasher mode itself. With new characters added, more are also expected to come. A fine flashback video would prove to be classic with some more budget added in the next film. The Twisted Childhood Universe (TCU) or Poohniverse shall come with more for sure.

The claws of flaw :: The movie’s hesitation to bring the perfect slasher horror elements of the past does keep it a step behind, especially with its main villains being such twisted characters who can bring terror out of nothing due to their deviation from the cuteness. The female characters do not prove to be that useful either, as their sequences just go on without making much of an impact. The earlier film seemed to have made better use of them, and the classic moments in it do seem to feature them. They did not seem to think about adding one to the evil side either. There seems to be some budget constraints which still affect the work – mainstream power seems to be missing at times. Those who are too attached with the childhood heroes will find it not good for their nostalgia either. In the end, predictability also stays around, even though more attempts are made here and there to twist things.

How it finishes :: The movie’s display of evil from children’s characters are very much relevant, as we already know the inherent evil of children from William Golding’s Lord of the Flies. As these creatures grow up, they display that evil in the purest forms, and they are powered by the pure evil that exists within children when they are not civilized or brought into any kind of order. It is clearly reflected in the main characters, and through this, the movie also shows us that we do not see the truth with things being about more than what meets the eye. As I have not watched the first movie, a comparison cannot be made, but a classic scene like being tied up in front of a car which has been going through forums, is not there in this movie, and the only one which can come anywhere close are those dead bodies lying in the night party. I would think that the first one which established this idea might be better, but that is to be decided by those who watched both movies – for now, enjoy the slasher power of this particular movie.

Release date: 7th June 2024
Running time: 93 minutes
Directed by: Rhys Frake-Waterfield
Starring: Scott Chambers, Tallulah Evans, Ryan Oliva, Teresa Banham, Peter DeSouza-Feighoney, Alec Newman, Simon Callow

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@ Cemetery Watch
✠ The Vampire Bat.

Salem’s Lot

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Vampire Owl: I remember this as America’s answer to Dracula.

Vampire Bat: Do you think that Uncle Dracula would ever want to visit the United States?

Vampire Owl: Some parts of the nation are suitable for him.

Vampire Bat: You are talking about New Orleans where he won’t be an alien.

Vampire Owl: Uncle Dracula would need more than just one town or city.

Vampire Bat: You think that he still wishes to spread the undead curse?

Vampire Owl: I have read that it was the dream of the vampire elders.

Vampire Bat: Well, the vampire elders, even for a vampire lifespan, were too old to be alive.

Vampire Owl: They were still in their senses, even though tortured by light.

Vampire Bat: They are only that much in their sense as Dr Frankenstein during a science exhibition.

[Gets an egg puffs and three cups of tea with boost].

What is the movie about? :: In the 1975, a strange man from Europe opens an antique store in the town of Jerusalem’s Lot and starts residing in the long-abandoned Marsten House, which has a history of murders. It is then that Ben Mears (Lewis Pullman) has returned to this hometown after a very long time, this time as a writer. He falls in love with Susan Norton (Makenzie Leigh), who also wishes to leave the town one day. The place seems to be a peaceful little town where almost nothing happens, and there is almost nothing of interest. But the new entrant from Europe has a huge coffin in there, and something sinister seems to be lurking in the shadows of the night. There are boys who go missing, and as no clue is found, the locals begin to be suspicious about Ben who had only recently arrived and after which these missing cases started. The police is unable to find any clue about the particular missing.

So, what happens with the events here as we just keep looking? :: After the disappearance of the boy named Ralph Glick (Cade Woodward), his brother Danny Glick (Nicholas Crovetti) is also attacked, and after spending some time in the hospital, the boy dies, and is soon buried. Mike Ryerson (Spencer Treat Clark), gravedigger who buried the boy is soon attacked by the undead version of him and gets sick. It is Matthew Burke (Bill Camp) who first notices and identifies the signs of vampirism in the gravedigger and is able to connect the same to recent disappearances, illnesses and corpses. But things are worse than he could imagine as this is not a case of a random vampire attacking a few people in the town. Kurt Barlow (Alexander Ward) is an ancient vampire whose origins go a long way back, and is a source of pure evil. He would stop at nothing as the intention is to turn the whole town into a vampire colony and spread the undead curse even further. Can anyone even come close to stopping him?

The defence of Salem’s Lot :: The movie takes us to the 1970s feeling, and we see that again, and most of us who were not alive during the time can only know them through movies – this one seems to show that nicely, and place the vampire curse right in between. Finding the vampires around would be more chilling at that time as it is displayed in the movie, because there is no friendly neighbourhood vampirism as it has been popularized now. The movie maintains that original essence, and has vampires as the true evil creatures of the night, all prepared for some nocturnal hunting of humans. The setting is really well-constructed and the world suits works with perfection. The vampire attacks are shown with all the required intensity and the fear elements get good dose as the movie demanded. With the old style vampires with the long-established weakness and fear generation, the nostalgia returns like it has wings.

The claws of flaw :: The movie struggles to rise from the tag of just another old-style vampire movie which offers nothing new, and do not even make the book feel better with its content. There is the feeling of lack of depth at times, and the movie struggles to maintain pace. The length of the movie does not seem to justify itself and we see a lot of lagging in between. The struggle feels real, but it should not have been the case with a film which has the base material set from a long time ago – the whole things should have been as safe as adapting Dracula and adding so many new things to it, and still having the vampire world to work like a dream. Some characters do not really develop and we do not feel for them, even when they are dead. The emotional strength feels to be lacking, and the establishment of pillars of the movie might have been the problem as they threaten to fall. The mystery could have been deeper and it is to be noted that the new world would never cease to be terrifying even without vampires, as there are already existing monsters.

The performers of the soul :: The cast nicely blends into the 1970s setting and their work and appearance give us the best feeling of the time period. The blending into that world and characters work like a dream. The journey is led well by Lewis Pullman, who plays the protagonist who comes across the least possible evil and has to react quick enough to survive. Bill Camp is solid in a role which could be this movie’s Van Helsing, even though he does not survive that long with the undead curse spreading faster than that of Dracula. Makenzie Leigh seems to be the one person best suitable for the age with the work, and the character holds on so well. Alfre Woodard also keeps the anti-vampire battle going on well. John Benjamin Hickey could have had even bigger role to play when we see how things have been going. And then, the master vampire works really well, reminding one of Nosferatu.

How it finishes :: Salem’s Lot could have improved on the content of the book, but here it seems like just trying to use the available content and do nothing much to add to the same. There were lots of opportunities to bring a classic touch or visualize better, but the same are not taken by the movie. But the horror arrives well, and we are ready to accept the same. After all, horror is the one true feeling that everyone experiences and believes in, unlike the movies with college romance which is more myth for people who do not experience them. As part of the one true genre of horror, the movie has managed well. We are not supposed to expect more than what meets the eye as a usual thing though. This journey is indeed in the right direction to bring more horror to the scene, and take us back to the original vampire world – not that of the blood-drinking entities that glitter and live in the house on the other side of the street.

Release date: 3rd October 2024
Running time: 113 minutes
Directed by: Gary Dauberman
Starring: Lewis Pullman, Makenzie Leigh, Alfre Woodard, John Benjamin Hickey, Bill Camp, Jordan Preston Carter, Nicholas Crovetti, Spencer Treat Clark, William Sadler, Pilou Asbæk

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@ Cemetery Watch
✠ The Vampire Bat.

Neverland Nightmare

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Vampire Owl: Do you know this guy named Peter Pan?

Vampire Bat: Yes, he was chosen to be a vampire but was just not good enough.

Vampire Owl: So, he is a dropout from the vampire academy.

Vampire Bat: He never really tried. He just pretended.

Vampire Owl: I do not see why such characters need to be vampires.

Vampire Bat: There are more undeserving vampires in our realm.

Vampire Owl: Well, death is only the beginning of character detailing.

Vampire Bat: Yes, I have seen vampires developing characters different from their previous existence. They were never exactly the same.

Vampire Owl: Death hunts and separates characters, I see.

Vampire Bat: So does the purgatory as we know it.

[Gets a Milky Bar and three cups of Vagamon tea].

What is the movie about? :: Peter Pan (Martin Portlock) who has been working at a fantasy-themed circus performing a mime for children, is seen abducting children, and even murdering their parents or friends who get in their way. After many years post the abductions by Peter, Mary Darling (Teresa Banham) is a single mother who lives with her children Wendy Darling (Megan Placito), John Darling (Campbell Wallace) and Michael Darling (Peter DeSouza-Feighoney) who are all going through a complex family situation. On Michael’s birthday, Wendy promises to pick him up from school and go to a cafe, but gets distracted while talking to her boyfriend who visits her after a long time, and does not notice that Michael leaves home on his bicycle. As he has to go through a road with woods on both sides, he is chased by Peter in a van, and after causing an accident, abducts the boy and takes him to his lair. Wendy feels that the boy is still in the school, and keeps searching for him, but meets with no clues.

So, what happens with the events here as we just keep looking? :: The search gets more frantic with a phone call as Peter calls and informs them that he will take Michael to a place known as “Neverland” which will serve children the best. The next day, Peter attacks and slaughters a school bus full of children including the adults who accompanied them. Wendy’s best friend Tiger Lily (Olumide Olorunfemi) offers her help and asks her to stay with them, but Peter also attacks the house looking for another school kid, who is taken captive. A transwoman with the name Tinker Bell (Kit Green) who is convinced that the children Peter kills are actually going to the fictional land of Neverland is revealed to be Peter’s partner in crime. Wendy who follows Peter to his hideout finds a locked James Hook (Charity Kase) who has a hook instead of one of his hands. Now, Wendy finds herself in trouble, as things seem to go out of hand, and Peter Pan is more than just a common human being.

The defence of Peter Pan’s Neverland Nightmare :: The dark twists never cease to keep us interested, as the world reminds of the terrifying reality that could hide behind every text, especially when they seem sweet and suitable for kids – the children who grow with inherent evil would still take it to hearts and then there is the pure evil which is unleashed as an adult. The change to Neverland into a nightmare world with dead children, corrupted fairies and horror-styled locations possibly housing a psycho killer makes this that kind of a situation where the original tales would stay away from. The slasher elements work strongly here, more than the usual scares, as this is that gory affairs which brings fear in another way. The new wave of horror films based on the public-domain characters which followed, would have a lot more as it seems here, and the sequel would also unleash unmatched terror if things are to go as we expect. The evil here feels very much of a pure dark side, and that works.

The claws of flaw :: There is a certain amount of weakness that the movie brings on itself, as there seems to be a lag even in a short movie like this one. Some of the trouble might be because of the lower budget as CGI never really goes for the extra. The usual elements of the classic slasher horror also go missing, as this one is rather too much on the safe side – trying to be too safe and by listening to everyone, the essence of a work is often lost, and that might be what is reflected here. The movie keeps focusing on the kills, but never really tries to make the same interesting, and even the biggest moment of the movie that includes a bus kill does not have the strength even when it is talked about, leaving it to the side as if the deaths are not shocking or even worth talking about. As there are so many things unexplained, the sequel is needed immediately, or there will be that emptiness that haunts the movie here. The characters are also lost in the gore at times. Then there is the predictability which very much there.

The performers of the soul :: Megan Placito comes up with an admirable scream queen and slasher expert performance, even though that kind of a classic horror feeling is not really there – she does not get that many opportunities to go diverse, but manages what is with her with ease. She should make it to more horror movies, and not just slasher, but also action horror. There is also an emotional side to her performance which we will note. Martin Portlock’s antagonist is strong, but required more explanations and better layered character, as we do not really get into the soul of the same. He surely seems to have the main requirement filled, but one would have to wonder if that was all that was needed. Peter DeSouza-Feighoney playing the child does his job well and Hardy Yusuf who plays the other relevant kids is okay too. Kit Green manages the avatar well too. Olumide Olorunfemi and Campbell Wallace should have been around for a longer time and should have contributed more to the situation, but just manages with what they have here.

How it finishes :: Peter Pan’s Neverland Nightmare is that kind of movie which could have done better, but instead just goes through what seems to be a normal routine. When turning childhood memories to nightmares, other movies of the same kind scored rather better without doubt. This one, despite having such a terrifying idea, struggles for some reason. It never reaches its potential, as limitations seems to be randomly created here. If you have watched Bambi: The Reckoning, you will know that the chance for going full horror was surely there. Maybe the sequel could bring much more, as there is more that could be revealed with a terrifying touch. Still, the horror stays strong enough, and as children have that inherent evil in them, they have lived through these characters who have also grown up to present the same evil to the society. These stories turned horror feels like that Lord of the Flies kind of treatment given by children on islands without civilization to control them – these will surely bring more evil as there is no world that cannot descend into chaos as long as children are in control; Willia Golding knew the same.

Release date: 24th February 2025
Running time: 89 minutes
Directed by: Scott Chambers
Starring: Megan Placito, Martin Portlock, Kit Green, Peter DeSouza-Feighoney, Teresa Banham, Olumide Olorunfem,i Campbell Wallace, Nicholas Woodeson

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✠ The Vampire Bat.

Killer of Killers

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Vampire Owl: So, we are going to have more of predators now.

Vampire Bat: We have always wanted many more of predators.

Vampire Owl: You mean to say that we are not predators enough?

Vampire Bat: We stopped hunting quite some time ago.

Vampire Owl: The hunters do not change the basic nature.

Vampire Bat: Yes, but the hunters can surely evolve.

Vampire Owl: Vampires are not a scientific species, right?

Vampire Bat: Yes, according to science we are just humans who are not alive.

Vampire Owl: So, you still think that we evolve.

Vampire Bat: Well, this is not really evolution in the scientific viewpoint.

[Gets a chilli paneer dosa and three cups of Yercaud tea].

What is the movie about? :: Ursa (Lindsay LaVanchy) is a nineth century Scandinavian Viking huntress who seeks vengeance on a warlord Zoran (Andrew Morgado) who killed her father, and her son Anders (Damien Haas) is also with her on this quest which would be one which could have her mind to finally rest. After years of search and a final discovery of the wretched people, she manages to slaughter Zoran’s clan, and find him in his heavily guarded fortress which they successfully breach without much difficulty. Unable to recognize Ursa from a long-lost past, Zoran mocks her for her father’s death and her incapability to defend her father or avenge him for this long a time period, before an angry Anders beheads him and ends that speech forever. But right after the battle, a Predator ambushes the group, killing Ursa’s experienced fighters one by one and also seriously injures Anders. Ursa manages to kill the Predator by using the floating ice and almost frozen water underneath after a fight underwater, but finds Anders dying in her arms. Soon, she is taken to a space ship by the predators.

So, what happens with the events here as we just keep looking? :: Later in the seventeenth century Japan, Kenji Kawakami (Louis Ozawa Changchien) had to fight with his brother to become the next samurai warlord, and his hesitation to battle his brother leads to him being quickly defeated with a scar on his face. He leaves the castle, only to come back many years later, and after fighting his brother’s guards and defeating him, thus getting back to him, only to be attacked by a Predator who is looking for the strongest warrior to defeat and collect as trophy. Predator gets through the remaining guards of the castle and faces Kenji, who manages to defeat the creature with the help of his brother who dies of his wounds, while he himself is also injured. Kenji is then immediately transported to a space ship of the predators, and is imprisoned there with Ursa who continues to grieve for his son and hopes for a death in battlefield so that she can go to Valhalla where others will not be accepted.

And what more is to follow here as the predators keep hunting in different worlds during various time periods? :: In 1942, John J Torres who has always wished to a fighter pilot is finally drafted into the United States Navy under the command of Captain Vandenburg (Michael Biehn). Their squadron tries to investigate a mysterious aircraft that destroyed another unit, which they suspect to be a special advanced airplane built by the Germans whose military technology has always fascinated the rest of the world. Understanding that the object they managed to find in the plane is not German or of this world, John tries to warn others, taking charge of an old airplane which, he was trying to get ready to be part of the squadron. The Predator annihilates his squadron with relative ease until only John and the captain remained. Vandenburg sacrifices himself using the heat of the engine to buy more time for John, as the Predator destroys his plane with his weapons. John manages to outsmart the Predator in a well-planned movement with the flight, as the creature ends up destroying his own space ship. But John finds himself taken away later, and it is to be seen what the Predators intend to do with him and other captives.

The defence of Predator: Killer of Killers :: This movie gets into the Predator franchise incredibly well, as the animation is too good, producing some of the finest visuals on the screen. The historical worlds of different time periods at different locations keep us interested, as the essence of those situations is nicely taken. The expansion of the lore is to be appreciated. The idea of becoming the grand killer of killers do get our attention and has us interested. The movie is not that long, and as it is divided into fragments, the whole situation only keeps getting more interesting. The animated power is shown here like Justice League, Justice Society, Batman and others had shown already, but the quality of animation that we see here is even ahead. There is a lot of style around here, and the violence is also very much stylized. There are some fine additions which could be here due to the animated existence, and a base could be established in this way better than the usual methods. The final battle is indeed a joy to watch as things come together, and the world of Predators is nothing less than a classic alien planet.

The claws of flaw :: The movie does not get to elevate Predator as a creature, and never does it focus on the characterization of the most valuable alien that we will ever know that has a humanoid form. We remember that the usual movies of the franchise have some classic hunters who are remembered for long, but not this time. As there is some anthology method followed here, one might feel that the connection is sometimes lost. The extreme violence might not be accepted by everyone, as this kind of movie is also supposed to cater to a much younger audience. Many fans of the franchise might have wanted to have a live-action universe which captures the essence of the hunting with real people. This world might have looked so well if it was in live-action, and that feeling also keeps coming back to us. The linking together of the character might not appeal that well, and the reason for choosing fighters and all these endless fights – all need to serve some better purpose. Some part of the movie just seems to be forced.

How it finishes :: This is one franchise that might never get old, as it has been a classic from that first Arnold movie to now, as we do have one of our favourite aliens of all-time, still living on, sand continuing to do well against all odds, as much as Alien series which had Prometheus, Romulus and Covenant bringing that universe back in power. The time, the aliens are part of different timelines, and connected to the history of the world. The worlds of Vikings, Samurais and World War Pilots get introduced to us beautifully, and this elevates the movie really well, as there is action, thrills and more than the usual in store. With some good animation, there is no stopping the movie, and this is really well-placed in the world of hunters. We can be sure that there can be a lot more to come in this particular franchise which impressed me even more than the Terminator series which has always been the more talked-about one. Nowadays, this type of movies releases less around here, but let us hope for the hunt to get more screens here when the next one comes.

Release date: 6th June 2025
Running time: 90 minutes
Directed by: Dan Trachtenberg
Starring: Lindsay LaVanchy Louis Ozawa, Rick Gonzalez, Michael Biehn, Doug Cockle, Damien Haas, Lauren Holt, Jeff Leach, Piotr Michael, Andrew Morgado, Alessa Luz Martinez, Felix Solis, Britton Watkins

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@ Cemetery Watch
✠ The Vampire Bat.

Sahasam

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Vampire Owl: I remember watching the song from this movie.

Vampire Bat: Well, that song was a big hit for this Onam.

Vampire Owl: It was more than just a hit indeed, that one earned an entry into hearts.

Vampire Bat: It served Onam like no other song did before.

Vampire Owl: The Onam song was surely like no other.

Vampire Bat: There is surely the feeling of fun with this one.

Vampire Owl: We could have watched this in the theatre instead of Amazon Prime Video.

Vampire Bat: Well, I only knew about the song, not the movie release.

Vampire Owl: Well, that might be the biggest Onam song impact in a long time.

Vampire Bat: With social media at the peak, this was surely going to be.

[Gets a chicken pizza and three cups of Kandy tea].

What is the movie about? :: Jeevan (Ramzan Muhammed) has been in love with Sera (Gouri G Kishan) for a long time, but her family has planned to get her married to Rony (Jeeva Joseph), a wealthy and powerful businessman. On the night of her engagement party, Jeevan comes to visit her with his best friends Pappan (Hari Sivaram) and Sam (Shabareesh Varma) disguised as members of the event management team, only to be discovered by the family members. They almost manage to run away with Sera, only to mess up things at the last moment, and the engagement happens smoothly. At the same time, police informer only known by the name Wolf (Babu Antony) manages to help the government in getting into the notorious Mumbai gangster Victor’s (Yog Japee) hideout and seize his drugs, only to find out that the computer expert Sanjeev (Krishna) has managed to convert Victor’s cash into cryptocurrency. But before he gives the password to Wolf who had planned all of these, he is blackmailed by an unknown figure and he has heart attack and dies, leaving nobody with the password.

So, what happens with the events here as we just keep looking? :: Now, Wolf will have to travel to Cochin to find the new head of the IT company where Sanjeev was working, and as the password is in his official laptop, the IT firm might find a way to open it. As Gayathri (Tessa Joseph) takes over as the new head of the firm, the stakes are now higher than ever. Meanwhile, Sera’s relatives send Babeesh (Baiju Santhosh) to deal with Jeevan and make sure that he does not come for his love again, and with him is Preman (Bhagath Manuel) who has seen the face of one of the people who came to the house for Sera. But they feel that Pappan might be Babeesh’s long-lost brother from childhood due to his similarities with an old photo they had, and change the plan to taking him home. Meanwhile, the police inspector Rajeev Nambiar (Narain) is forced to chase both Wolf and Victor to Kochi all the way from Mumbai. But his bigger priorities are taking credit for others’ achievements and always suspecting his wife Isha (Varsha Ramesh). Meanwhile Sam fights with Satheesh (Sajin Cherukayil) for the attention of Priya (Jayasree Sivadaas), and all these come together with unexpected links leading to chaos.

The defence of Sahasam :: Chaos comedy is not the kind of genre which is easy to create an impact, and neither is the use of silliness in the right manner. There might not have been any movie like Adi Kapyare Koottamani and Kunjiramayanam that could achieve the same in last few years, not considering those older classics. This one rather has the situation as more serious, with deaths, gangsters and underworld dealings involved, and the same has been done with the funny side being incredibly active. Just like the other movies of this category, it is the working humour that raises the level of the movie, and the energy adds to the same. The team that the movie has assembled with the veterans and newcomers is really good. The way in which the movie keeps its central romance going with an active emotional side going, and makes everything come together with some classic connections, is worth mentioning, and it seems to be some special skill taking over, as it leaves no loose ends, even for this kind of a movie which is usually allowed to do the same in its genre of confusions and comical complications.

Positives and negatives :: The movie might feel a little bit too long while dealing with this kind of a topic, but as it moves forward further, we just like that length more than anything else – the fun seems to get into us. Yet, some characters might not have been required here, and at times, it also comes up with scenes that feel extra. But it never losses our interest, and it is where this one becomes a classic complicated collection. The songs, especially the Onam mood song had set the mood for the film, and one wonders why it did not become a bigger success at the box-office. The movie’s use of nostalgia comes out of nowhere, like Babu Antony’s old-style moments, Narain talking about four the people and Krishna looking at that much celebrated song of the past with him in it as youth. Even though there are deaths and seriousness is present, we do not feel that kind of a dark tension, and the anxiety that we feel for the characters is rather different. We feel that the movie could even have sequels, and even spin-offs with some of these characters, who stay with us even when not the main characters.

The performers of the soul :: The movie has strong pillars on the two veteran actors Babu Antony and Narain, and this time, they are into humour, and the latter is almost completely into the same – they keep the world interesting with their presence, moments and even nostalgia. Ramzan-Gouri romantic side does work well too, and the music nicely supports the same. Baiju Santhosh, Shabareesh Varma, Hari Sivaram and Bhagath Manuel make a fine combination of humour here, and the silliness associated with their character is very much enjoyable. A surprisingly great addition is that of Varsha Ramesh, who adds to the humour and the overall proceedings really well, and her scenes with Shabareesh and Narain, both brings some classic fun. Return of Tessa Joseph adds another layer of nostalgia here, as she was one actress who was around only with a short career. Sajin Cherukayil also scores with humour while Jayasree Sivadaas adds on. Yog Japee makes a fine villain too. When all of these performers come together in the final moments, it is indeed a lot of fun.

How it finishes :: The movie has some of the best comic moments in the last few years, and there is a certain amount of skill in how this movie uses its moments, and even adds some nostalgia to it. The director’s previous venture Twenty One Grams was also a fine adventure, a serious one then – this time, the journey is on a different path, but it surely works well. This comedy of errors is surely a lot better than most of those so-called comedy works with even bigger stars, and this is the one movie that makes everyone feels good with its humour and those pieces coming together to make us satisfied by the end. The Onam mood itself is clearly felt in the movie, as it is indeed like a celebration to be done in the theatre. Even though not that much known during its release, with its coming to Amazon Prime Video, this will be a much talked about film for days to come. Some movies depend of superstars and hype, but this one clearly focuses on the entertainment quotient with the right cast, and performers who do not keep hailing as superstars – this absence of such overrated cast makes this an even better flick.

Release date: 8th August 2025
Running time: 144 minutes
Directed by: Bibin Krishna
Starring: Narain, Babu Antony, Gouri G Kishan, Varsha Ramesh, Ramzan Muhammed, Jayasree Sivadaas, Baiju Santhosh, Shabareesh Varma, Hari Sivaram, Bhagath Manuel, Yog Japee, Jeeva Joseph, Ann Jameela Salim, Abhimanyu Shammy Tilakan, Sajin Cherukayil, Tessa Joseph, Vineeth Thattil David, Lishoy, Krishna, Jayakrishnan, Major Ravi, Karthik

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

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

@ Cemetery Watch
✠ The Vampire Bat.

Borderlands

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Vampire Owl: When was the last time you went near the border?

Vampire Bat: You mean near the werewolf territory.

Vampire Owl: No, the zombie lands on the other side.

Vampire Bat: When did we begin to check the wastelands?

Vampire Owl: I believe that there is something more than the walking dead there.

Vampire Bat: I am sure that the movie is not referring to such borders.

Vampire Owl: Are we going for interplanetary borders then?

Vampire Bat: That has always been a better choice, for they are more open.

Vampire Owl: I have heard about those space vampires.

Vampire Bat: The space does have its own variety of blood-drinking species.

[Gets a blackcurrant shake and three cups of black tea].

What is the movie about? :: It is said that a long time ago, the whole of galaxy was ruled by an alien race known as Eridians, whose power and technology were far beyond the understanding of human race. But human beings were able to find some part of this science and use it to their advantage, thus becoming the reason for bettering their world and making themselves scientifically advanced enough to make an impact in their world above other species. But the best of such scientific knowledge was hidden in a vault in a planet known as Pandora. Corporations, criminals and treasure hunters who made peace impossible in the planet and nearby have been killing each other in an attempt to find the secret vault for no success in the end. Then there was the prophecy about a daughter of Eiridia who would restore peace. More people have died searching for this than all the wars which had occurred in the past. There is almost nothing good happening in the one prosperous planet with enough natural beauty to inspire enough tourists from Earth. But the only tourism event happening there might be a treasure hunt for vault.

So, what happens with the events here as we just keep looking? :: Tiny Tina (Ariana Greenblatt) who is the daughter of Deukalian Atlas (Edgar Ramírez), the richest man around, and one of the most powerful corporate magnates in the galaxy, gets kidnapped by a rogue soldier Roland Greaves (Kevin Hart) and a psychopath Krieg (Florian Munteanu) who is released at the same time by accident. Despite the soldiers trying their best, the group of three manages to get out of the area and travel to the wastelands of Pandora where they do not come in the areas under scan. The job is given to a legendary bounty hunter Lilith (Cate Blanchett) who is almost ready to retire, but the offer is a little too much for her to reject. She is considered the best with a great history of bounty hunting by too many people to avoid her as an option, even though troops of Atlas are also after the kid. As she lands on Pandora to search for the missing girl, she comes across Claptrap (Jack Black), a robot that says that it was programmed a long time ago to assist her. With the help of the robot, she finally traces the location of Tina and embarks on the journey.

And what does this world bring in between all the chaos and destruction? :: There, she finds out that Tina was not really kidnapped, but had decided to escape with the rogue soldier and the psycho intentionally to avoid her father. She attacks Lilith with her two friends, and it is then that the troops sent by Atlas Corporation reaches the same area and attacks all of them. This leads to the strange new team of the teenage runaway girl, rogue soldier, bounty hunter, psychopath and the old robot escaping from there, with the soldier team known as Crimson Lance on their trail. It is discovered that Tina was not human or the corporate daughter as everyone had thought – she was a genetically engineered alien created with the biological parts taken from the Eridians, the ancient race that once lived and bettered Pandora. She was created through experiments by Atlas so that she can open the vault where lost civilization’s advanced science and technology are kept. Atlas Corporation intends to rule the world with the new advanced weapons they intend to gain. Can the one strange team stop him in time? Or will the gates to unlimited technology be opened to a greedy villain who would become invincible?

The defence of Borderlands :: There is some nice world detail that we see here, even though not perfect, there is something to watch out for at every corner here. Ariana Greenblatt adds more to the fun than the others here. The funny side mostly works in this movie, unlike those movies with ridiculous jokes like Deadpool and its strange relations. The battle scenes are truly exciting, and the detailing on small things will catch our attention. A good science fiction movie comes first out of the world where it is set, and this one wins there, and takes it to the side of action, where it secures another win for most of the time. There is also the reminder that this is from a game, with some fine weapons being shown, and explosions as well as stylish chases all around. The post-apocalyptic feeling is also present, like in Mad Max: Fury Road, but this one is surely the much lighter version, without that eternal depression of world going out of hand with no chance for a return. This feels mostly because of the knowledge about the existence of an alien life which would mean more than just giving up for humanity.

The claws of flaw :: The movie should have taken itself more seriously, and we feel the silliness a little too much in between. The main character should have been younger and got someone other than Cate Blanchett to play it, as we get the feeling of having the suitable one for the tale of such a past. The twist used in the movie seems to be rather too comfortable and safe for anyone’s liking too, and it is something about which one feels the need to bother less. The colours of the movie could have been reduced a little bit outside and used more inside the alien world within the portal, as we have too much of an opposite. Jamie Lee Curtis surely feels to have been more wasted than anyone in this particular role. The villain could have also had more to do in the earlier and middle stages of the movie. There could have been more of a journey of a mystery adventure which the movie leaves behind. As the movie came when my gaming times had mostly reached the beginning of the end stages, I could not really comment on a game – movie comparison, but positive reviews in that case were not found.

How it finishes :: As this movie is based on a computer game, the negative reviews were always expected. But like Until Dawn, Need for Speed, Hitman, Doom, Silent Hill, Resident Evil, Warcraft, Mortal Kombat and others, this keeps the gaming side moving well to the cinematic world. I would love to see Mass Effect game made into movie, and it would have similar settings, but considering its capabilities as a game itself, there would be a big movie, with the looks of Jupiter Ascending, but that one would satisfy more critics. For now, for some simple entertainment during the weekends, this is the kind of movie that we would want to watch. Let us not go through too many of those negative reviews, as there are so many positives about this movie, which comes back every time we feel that there would be a problem. Maybe, a sequel could do this one a lot of good, with a lot of worlds to explore in a Star Trek or Star Wars model. Then we go back to the game and come back again to enjoy this.

Release date: 9th August 2024
Running time: 101 minutes
Directed by: Eli Roth
Starring: Cate Blanchett, Kevin Hart, Jack Black, Edgar Ramírez, Ariana Greenblatt, Florian Munteanu, Gina Gershon, Jamie Lee Curtis

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@ Cemetery Watch
✠ The Vampire Bat.

Until Dawn

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Vampire Owl: We never really wait for dawn.

Vampire Bat: It is because we are against dawn. We are people of the night.

Vampire Owl: So, these people are looking forward to dawn.

Vampire Bat: They are surely trying to get rid of people of the night.

Vampire Owl: Well, we are not the only people of the night around here.

Vampire Bat: Yet, we are the major ones around here.

Vampire Owl: The werewolves might disagree.

Vampire Bat: Would that matter if they do not agree?

Vampire Owl: I am sure that Doctor Frankenstein would mind.

Vampire Bat: Well, Mr. Frank has never been the ideal or even real doctor as we know.

[Gets an onion vada and three cups of Vagamon tea].

What is the movie about? :: Clover (Ella Rubin) has been searching for her missing sister Melanie (Maia Mitchell) for a very long time, and she decides to retrace the steps of the sister traveling through the final days when she was in contact and sent a video. For the same purpose, she is accompanied by Nina (Odessa A’zion) her best friend, Max (Michael Cimino) her ex-boyfriend, Abe (Belmont Cameli) Nina’s boyfriend and Megan (Ji-young Yoo) Max’s step sister, who are all hoping that Clover could get better by going through the same path her sister had taken, and get better by understanding that this is the end and the past should be left behind for what is the best. As they stop by a gas station where Melanie had recorded a video, Clover is warned by the attendant there that people go missing in a mining town called Glore Valley, and it has never been a safe place, as he has been noticing for years.

So, what happens with the events here as we just keep looking? :: They keep driving though, and as there is a thunderstorm with heavy fog on the way, Abe is not able to see the road, and every turning back or driving straight seem to lead to the same place, and they finally reach a building which resembles a centre for visitors or a guesthouse of the mining town, and surprisingly, the climate is rather better around there. As Nina signs on the visitors’ register, she finds the name of Melanie there, and there is also the photo of Melanie on the noticeboard in the drawing room with many others, but there is no address, phone number or e-mail to contact if the person is found. There is also a moving hourglass which gets turned on. At the same time, it seems that their car is taken away by someone and Clover feels that she heard someone calling her by name, and she thinks that it was none other than Melanie. But soon, they come across a person with an axe, and he proceeds to kill everyone around quickly.

And what is this certain strange mystery all about? :: Soon, the group finds themselves waking up in the same house, but with the realization that they were brutally murdered. They find their photos on the missing list placed on the noticeboard this time, and hopes that they can get out of the building before the same person tries to kill them again. But it seems that this time, it is not the man with the axe that they need to worry about, with some other entity awaiting them. This time, it is a demonic possession that awaits them, as they realize that Megan who had a strong connection with the supernatural is possessed and there is something more sinister than a man with an axe that awaits them. There is also a new house in front of their house, and there seems to be more terrifying elements coming right out of there. Now, can they survive this night, and how many others await them? If they survive this, if this the end? Even they are out of this, can they really get back home to a normal life?

The defence of Until Dawn :: Like The Cabin in the Woods and Evil Dead of the past, this movie makes a fine impact in horror. The scares feel really good and the mystery is too good to be left behind as we are taken right into the middle of terror from where there is no escape. The location is too good and the music and sound effects nicely supports the events. The methods of death used here are pretty much efficient, and the monsters brigng the scares nicely. Ella Rubin who is also seen in Fear Street: Prom Queen makes the perfect scream queen, the classic heroine of the horror films, as it is seen here too. Her different looks seem to support the same, and we hope to see her in one of those classic horror reboots, with serial killers or demons. Her final look with that determination and pickaxe makes the whole thing feel more classic. After a fine work here, Odessa A’zion could also have herself in a horror movie which would make a similar impact, as we hope to see her in similar horror movies of interest.

Positives and negatives :: There are not many movies with an infinity of horror, and this one provides the unlimited horror with repeated deaths which makes one feel the ineffectiveness and uselessness of life itself. It could have been more, but we can be very much satisfied with what we have. The movie’s twists are quite nice, and we have the feeling that there is always more than what meets the eye. It is like having many horror movies into one, and not being sure in which film we are in and which one is to follow next. This way, the movie also provides a fine tribute to the slasher horror genre which has not been getting to its past glory again due to the inability to use the basic elements which were always there to be taken. When we take the young cast as a whole, we know that so much talent is there to be used in the horror genre, and it is an advantage that the new generation of horror movie makers have, and they need to use it every time, just like atmosphere has been used efficiently here.

How it finishes :: This movie is a reminder that good movies can be made out of computer games, especially from the survival gaming modes to a survival film of a higher level. I still believe that Doom, Hitman, Resident Evil, Silent Hill etc were well-made. I have not played or heard about the game before, but it would be an interesting choice to get into that – even though I have that feeling which says that my days of gaming are over, even for those old versions of Age of Empires: Conquerors and Unreal Tournament: GOTY. The final scope for sequel that is left in the end would make one wonder what twist is yet to come. This is like being respawn in Unreal Tournament or Quake 3 Arena to kill more and be killed, as we think about it, but as we use this idea in horror, there is much more at stake. After watching this movie, we can only feel confident that horror will stay alive as long as cinema takes forms like these.

Release date: 25th April 2025
Running time: 103 minutes
Directed by: David F Sandberg
Starring: Ella Rubin, Michael Cimino, Odessa A’zion, Ji-young Yoo, Belmont Cameli, Maia Mitchell, Peter Stormare, Lotta Losten

@ Cemetery Watch
✠ The Vampire Bat.

Fear Street: Prom Queen

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Vampire Owl: I remember watching all those Fear Street movies.

Vampire Bat: Yes, they were good, and making some fine impact.

Vampire Owl: Three horror movies at once meant a lot then.

Vampire Bat: We are never really short of serial killers.

Vampire Owl: Each human being is a potential serial killer.

Vampire Bat: Well, a serial killer is a human thing.

Vampire Owl: It bothers me that humans have so many psychos.

Vampire Bat: It is natural in a fake world as they are all acting and not living.

Vampire Owl: We vampires need to have some psychos too.

Vampire Bat: We have lived so much that we know none of these matter in the end.

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

What is the movie about? :: It is the year 1988, and Lori Granger (India Fowler) is an outcast who tries to run for prom queen for the senior class of Shadyside High School, with only her best friend Megan Rogers (Suzanna Son) by her side. Megan who is a horror enthusiast is also considered to be a freak by her classmates. Lori has her family history going against her, as the town believes that her mother stabbed her father on the face and killed him, even though there is no suitable evidence to support that claim. Tiffany Falconer (Fina Strazza) is the favourite to win the title, as she is supported by her wolfpack of young girls who are also competing to be the prom queen. Christy Renault (Ariana Greenblatt) is her biggest rival, as she seems to be someone whom nobody seems to dislike that much, even though she is known to be selling some drugs, and has been dating elder men regularly much to the dismay of the institution.

So, what happens with the events here as we just keep looking? :: Megan creates situations with her arm being cut off and having Tiffany’s head in a bowl to make the environment feel weird, as she does not believe in this whole prom queen thing. But Lori is determined to bring a change to the whole situation by winning the title herself. Tiffany has her friends Melissa Mckendrick (Ella Rubin), Debbie Winters (Rebecca Ablack) and Linda Harper (Ilan O’Driscoll) trying to make sure that nobody from outside their gang wins the title, and it is then that Christy is murdered by a masked figure, but as the school only finds her missing, disqualifies her from the run for prom queen. At the same time, Melissa is disheartened to see Tiffany’s attitude towards Lori, and decides to help the outcast, much to the dismay of Tiffany. Her other two friends seem too much occupied with their boyfriends, while the school principal declares a strict adherence to the rules. But can they do so with so much hatred for each other running through with a psycho killer also around?

The defence of Fear Street: Prom Queen :: There might not be anything new with the franchise or the genre to be added here, but this one play along nicely as we watch its progress. The classic slasher mode returning to form is something that we would love to keep watching. The killer lurking in the shadows as a programme is taking place, will keep us going for long, like those old times, even during these days when the genre of horror has been weakened. The attire with the mask stands out reminding us of a past, but also add a classic variety. The twists are effective, even though there is a little bit too much information given in between. There are some fine dialogues added in between, and we also have some interesting characters added. The killings are all nicely done, with a fine classic serial killer effect. It seems to have scope to get more movies added in the list too, as we look at it closely.

The claws of flaw :: The movie could have used more innovation at work, as we would have the feeling of seeing the same thing again and again, at some points. The serial killer gives away more information than it should have, which affects some audience who had taken that into heart earlier. The final moments of the movie seem to be too usual for anyone’s liking as it may have been rushed to have that ending which is rather a common one, but is also the safe one. Some more innovative killings, and the usual moments of classic horror could have been part of this one too. After all, we are watching slasher movies to see its classic elements maintained. The movie could have also been scarier, with such evil wandering around, and with people not suspecting a thing. Well, too much focus on the safe side is restricting horror movies these days, isn’t it? But this is a world of innovations, and this franchise needs its wings extended further to fly higher.

The performers of the soul :: The one character that we would fall in love with is Suzanna Son, even though that might come as a surprise for many. She plays the only loyal character in the whole movie and there is something sinister about her all the time, with her love for horror keeping her apart, and as someone special. She manages this role really well. India Fowler plays the main character and faces the usual challenges of such a character which she manages with ease. Fina Strazza does make a fine impact in between, as she feels like the one evil wannabe prom queen that needs to be brought down, the villainy which she manages to perfection. Ariana Greenblatt should have had a bigger role, as she starts really well here. Ella Rubin has the normal likable character who is also on the other side. Katherine Waterston and Lili Taylor also have their moments. The male characters have much less to do as we look at them.

How it finishes :: Fear Street: Prom Queen coming to the OTT is a good relief for all the horror fans and for those who have been waiting to watch some good English movies in a world which rarely have Hollywood movies in theatres these days, mostly due to cheap imitations coming to the screens these days. There have been so a smaller number of English films in the theatres, and there is too much of a rush of local movies most of which nobody seems to have watched. Without the English movies in the theatres, we have to go back to the OTT platforms again, and this movie breathes some fresh air to the old style of slasher horror. If you are fans of those horror films which follow the old model, you are going to like this one, and if Fear Street Part One: 1994, Fear Street Part Two: 1978 and Fear Street Part Three: 1666 kept you going, you can also try this one, but there is more chance that those movies would interest you more than this one.

Release date: 23rd May 2025 (Netflix)
Running time: 90 minutes
Directed by: Matt Palmer
Starring: India Fowler, Suzanna Son, Fina Strazza, Chris Klein, David Iacono, Ella Rubin, Ariana Greenblatt, Lili Taylor, Katherine Waterston

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

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

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

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

@ Cemetery Watch
✠ The Vampire Bat.

Scream VI

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Vampire Owl: We do not get scared that easily.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

@ Cemetery Watch
✠ The Vampire Bat.

Scream

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Vampire Owl: We have been good friends with Ghostface for a long time.

Vampire Bat: This is not about that person from the Halloween night.

Vampire Owl: Well, I have seen those movies.

Vampire Bat: The movie you watched was I Know What You did Last Summer.

Vampire Owl: I don’t feel that there is any difference.

Vampire Bat: You are generalizing the slasher horror.

Vampire Owl: I am generalizing the killers who do the job well.

Vampire Bat: We have had enough psychopath vampires around here.

Vampire Owl: Vampires are not psychopaths, for we are just being natural.

Vampire Bat: And humans are naturally psychopaths.

[Gets a chocolate muffin and three cups of mixed tea].

What is the movie about? :: Many years have passed after the earlier attack, and Tara Carpenter (Jenna Ortega) is brutally attacked by the Ghostface killer, leaving her hospitalized. This leads to Samantha Carpenter (Melissa Barrera), her sister returning the town after a very long time, and she is also accompanied by her boyfriend Richie Kirsch (Jack Quaid). Sam feels that some lunatic keeps trying to use the Ghostface mask to become famous. As she reaches the hospital, she meets Tara’s friends, Amber Freeman (Mikey Madison), Wes Hicks (Dylan Minnette), Mindy Meeks-Martin (Jasmin Savoy Brown), Liv McKenzie (Sonia Ammar) and Chad Meeks-Martin (Mason Gooding). It is then that another murder by Ghostface occurs outside a bar. Samantha also finds her under attack by the Ghostface, and due to other hallucinations, she is forced to reveal the truth to Tara that she is the daughter of a serial killer, and they are step-sisters. Tara doesn’t take this secret seriously, and wouldn’t want her presence in the hospital.

So, what happens with the events here as we just keep looking? :: Samantha looks for help from the earlier survivors of the Ghostface attacks, Dewey Riley (David Arquette), Gale Weathers (Courteney Cox) and Sidney Prescott (Neve Campbell) who have now settled down in different places. Dewey meets up with Samantha and Tara’s friends, only to feel that someone is recreating the whole thing in a different way, in the form of continuation of a narrative, but still borrowing heavily from the plot of the original tale – thus it has the new generation as well as the legacy characters. When another death occurs in the town, it brings Gale to the town to cover the incident. When the sheriff is the last one to be killed, and with the police officers in the hospital at the crime scene, Samantha realizes that her sister would be in trouble. But the killer is not someone who has things going in a direct path. Someone would be murdered if the killer really wanted. If it is not about Tara whom he keeps missing, who would be the next one to be killed?

The defence of Scream :: There is a certain standard which has been maintained by the franchise yet again, and it is a level which could be followed by the other films of the genre. The build-up is nice, and the first scene does bring some nostalgia to us. The Ghostface remains a force that the slasher horror can’t avoid. The cast seems to have been nicely chosen, even though some of them deserved more. The movie is a reminder of how bad the fans can be, and even without that much of an influence of the slasher horror genre, the fan fights in this part of the world have already proven the same fact. The sixth movie of the franchise seems to be nicely set from the trailer. Ghostface seems to be forever, even though there is no Halloween kind of killer who seems to be supernatural – this serves the slasher horror world really well. A horror film loving serial killer never ceases to be a person of interest. The elements of horror stays close to the existence of the maniacs at all times.

The claws of flaw :: There is the feeling that we could have nothing new with this franchise, as repetition often gets into the nerves. As the franchise hesitates to move away from the predictable, one just wonders if change can ever be a part of this series. The twist is not that strong as one would expect, as there is at least one antagonist whom one would have guessed with ease. Multiple twists would have done this movie a lot of good, and this is the kind of a franchise which could have afforded to leave better openings in the end. Scream along with I Know What You did Last Summer was the slasher horror that we have always remembered whenever the name of the genre came into the picture. There were so many moments of horror being missed out in this movie, and this was one flick which could have thrived on it using the Ghostface appearances and killings. Terror was there to be spread, and this one hesitates rather too much.

The performers of the soul :: Melissa Barrera leads the slasher here as the new scream queen of the franchise, who has a legacy to maintain here. She gets something bigger to do in the final stages of the movie, and Jenna Ortega who plays the younger sister also gets more to do than being the victim of the Ghostface as one would have expected from the initial stages. Jenna would have done well in most of the main roles in the movie, as she seems to have blend into this environment really well. Neve Campbell and Courteney Cox make an interesting return to the franchise here, but one might also wonder if they were needed, as horror slashers are often made as new films with quality. Among the other performers, it is Mikey Madison who catches our attention the most, while Jasmin Savoy Brown has some of the most interesting lines in there. David Arquette’s return could have actually been better and longer, but the fans would have actually had enough.

How it finishes :: Scream with its return has worked well to suit these times when horror has suffered due to lack of ideas, even though it has not been innovative enough with the content. The opportunity to become the one classic horror slasher to remember has not been taken here. With this base of Ghostface already set, there was so much more which could be achieved. The movie holds on to its past, and has the elements for the fans of the genre, but the repetition is something that could have been kept to the minimum. It could have also added some scares here and there to bring further effectiveness to the idea which is present there. After all, a serial killer like this could do more, but we are still happy with what is shown around here. For those who need more of terrifying sequences, there is always another kind of scary Sinister, Evil Dead, Annabelle, Nun or Conjuring coming up.

Release date: 14th January 2022
Running time: 114 minutes
Directed by: Matt Bettinelli-Olpin, Tyler Gillett
Starring: Melissa Barrera, Mason Gooding, Jenna Ortega, Jack Quaid, Marley Shelton, Courteney Cox, David Arquette, Neve Campbell

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

@ Cemetery Watch
✠ The Vampire Bat.

Maheshum Marutiyum

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Vampire Owl: I once had a Maruti vehicle parked in the castle.

Vampire Bat: Everyone used to have such a vehicle in our bloody garage.

Vampire Owl: That is something long buried in the past.

Vampire Bat: Yet, there is nobody who hasn’t had a Maruti memory.

Vampire Owl: And it has been mostly the Maruti 800 of the past.

Vampire Bat: With a little bit of Alto and Zen in between the Ambassador.

Vampire Owl: And here we are, owning so many non-Maruti cars.

Vampire Bat: We are not that much into this particular brand anymore.

Vampire Owl: Too many options to choose from, right?

Vampire Bat: As long as the companies do not cease operations. Ford and Chevrolet did the worst for us already in India.

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

What is the movie about? :: Mahesh Padmanabhan (Asif Ali) is known for his Maruti 800 car which was bought by his father Padmanabhan (Maniyanpilla Raju) after taking a heavy loan. It was also one of the earliest cars of the kind, given away by the then Prime Minister of India, Indira Gandhi, at a final on-road price just below fifty thousand in the year 1983. As a result, he holds the car like a treasure which needs to be perpetually with him. After the death of his father in the Peruman railway accident in 1988, the car has been his only love. He has also become a reputed mechanic in the village while working at the workshop run by Wilson (Shaju Sreedhar). Yet, it is known that after so many years, the loan for the car has not been paid back, and he hasn’t earned anything substantial from his work either. His love and emotional attachment for the car only gets him lose all the opportunities. After years of working in the village, his world remains the same, and a small one consisting of his mother and a small circle of friends who follow similar ideas about the world.

So, what happens with the events here as we just keep looking? :: The car also continues to get him into trouble, but he is saved by the intervention of his childhood friend Gowri (Mamta Mohandas) who returns from Delhi. They get close to each other once again, but Gowri who is attached to him wishes that he gets a good job to support her instead of wandering around in one old car. He is asked to repay the loan or lose the car, while he rejects the good offers which he receives for the car. There are not many people who are able to help him, and the car, with its historical background doesn’t get any new fans. The owner of the workshop where he is working is also leaving the nation to be with his wife in Europe. In this crisis, Mahesh might be forced to sell his house, but should he go that far as the only thing that he needs to do is to sell the car? Will he leave the only thing that is considered to be the priceless property or will he hold on to it?

The defence of Maheshum Marutiyum :: The list of feel-good movies only get longer, and this one adds on well. The narrative is really good, and we get through the history nicely with the tale – the connection to history is nicely made. The emotions are nicely connected to the old car, even though it does get overboard at times for the main character. The hero makes sure that there is balance being made with it, despite the writing seems to go in one direction. We can see that there are further emotions added at times. There is one fine twist added in the end, which comes as a pleasant surprise, even though one would still feel that it would not have made much of a difference if the progression was just natural. With the surprise, there is also the feeling that there is more than what meets eye, effectively brough to light in the end. Maheshum Marutiyum does have all the nostalgia in store for us too, as there might be none of us who might not have travelled in a Maruti 800, and nobody who has not had a Maruti car at home or relative’s home. Maybe, many years later, there can be a movie about other nostalgia vehicles too, as so many cars are catching up to the nostalgic feeling.

The claws of flaw :: In our list of many feel-good movies, Maheshum Marutiyum does not bring anything newer or sharper, not striving for innovation at any moment. It goes through the commonly used formular while just placing that one old car in the centre of everything. This kind of an action would make it more appropriate for the lovers of Maruti Suzuki or of those vintage vehicles, and not that much for the admirers of other cars – if you have used those Maruti cars at some point of time, especially the early 800s, Altos and Zens, this would feel particularly made for them only. The romantic side could have actually had more strength, and it struggles in front of the romance of the car. Some of the incidents also seem forced, and the movie had actually taken too much of time to get out of the past to the present – that would be about half an hour taken in the process. With its predictable content, the movie is also a little bit too long.

The performers of the soul :: The movie depends on Asif Ali to provide the usual feel-good performance of which he has been a master. His skills in holding a movie like this together is not to be questioned, as proven facts support his ability. Mamta Mohandas comes the leading lady in support, and she continues to be nice to watch with some natural performances, but can only play the second fiddle to a red Maruti 800 from 1983, as the relationship of the protagonist and the car is of more significance. Mamta is the actress who should have been in many big movies, and she blends into her roles effectively all the time. In the early flashback scenes, Maniyanpilla Raju is the centre of attraction, and Shaju Sreedhar becomes that father figure in the later stages, playing his role to effectiveness. Prem Kumar also covers a similar role with class. Idavela Babu and Kunchan have some very small, but memorable roles. Anumol RS of Star Magic fame also has a notable role here. Vijay Babu also makes an appearance in a role which feels like a cameo.

How it finishes :: Maheshum Marutiyum is similar to those good old feel-good movies, most of them featuring Asif Ali in what seems to be an attempt to make the audience feel the goodness factor – Vijay Superum Pournamiyum and Sunday Holiday are just two of such films, and even without the young leading actor, we have the other youngsters in movies like Mohan Kumar Fans with Kunchacko Boban, Jacobinte Swargarajyam with Nivin Pauly, Maheshinte Prathikaaram with Fahadh Faasil, Su Sudhi Vathmeekam with Jayasurya, Kilometres and Kilometres with Tovino Thomas, Vimaanam with Prithviraj Sukumaran, Aravindante Athidhikal with Vineeth Sreenivasan and Jomonte Suvisheshangal with Dulquer Salmaan. All these feel-good movies bring something special to us, and this one mean business too. It might not have the emotional strength of some of the films mentioned in the paragraph, but this doesn’t fall too far behind. The feelings are surely present, even though a non-living thing gets the centre-stage. Even though a lesser known feel-good movie in comparison to the others which I mentioned earlier, this one keeps the feel-good factor at the core to keep the less appreciated genre alive and kicking.

Release date: 7th April 2023 (Amazon Prime Video); 10th March 2023 (Theatre)
Running time: 134 minutes
Directed by: Sethu
Starring: Asif Ali, Mamta Mohandas, Maniyanpilla Raju, Divya M Nair, Vijay Babu, Idavela Babu, Kunchan, Prem Kumar, Varun Dhara, Krishnaprasad, Shaju Sreedhar, Manu, Nancy G, Anumol RS

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

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

@ Cemetery Watch
✠ The Vampire Bat.

X

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Vampire Owl: I have always wanted to have the title, Vampire X.

Vampire Bat: You have been identified as Vampire O for a long time.

Vampire Owl: Well, why not X? Everyone has wanted to be Agent X.

Vampire Bat: Agent X has never been real – there was only a hoax related to it.

Vampire Owl: I have heard that most of the mass movies of humans have such agents.

Vampire Bat: They have such things because they run out of ideas.

Vampire Owl: I do feel that the X letter suits this movie better.

Vampire Bat: Well, its better suited for a slasher movie for sure.

Vampire Owl: You know how much we have missed the true slasher films.

Vampire Bat: Well, they should come back now for classic horror stories – the encounter should happen now or never.

[Gets some French fries and three cups of Munnar tea].

What is the movie about? :: Maxine Minx (Mia Goth) has always wanted to become a famous actress, and she does not mind how it comes, as the easy option seems to be to become a pornographic actress. As she wishes to be part of such a film during a time when theatrical pornography market is booming, she goes on a road trip with her friends and crew for an upcoming adult movie. The crew includes her own boyfriend and producer Wayne Gilroy (Martin Henderson), other actors Bobby-Lynne Parker (Brittany Snow) and Jackson Hole (Scott Mescudi), director RJ Nichols and his girlfriend Lorraine Day (Jenna Ortega). While Nichols want it to be a serious piece of cinema, Lorraine is not happy with the work. Bobby-Lynne and Jackson seems to be very much interested in each other as far as the work is concerned, but as they reach the farm where they are supposed to shoot, things do not seem to get any better. The whole place is supposed to have had soldiers staying there during the Civil War, but that might not be the only history that the house would have.

So, what happens with the events here as we just keep looking? :: In the early moments itself, it seems to be clear that there is something strange about the area as well as the old couple who owns the house, but the crew doesn’t seem to mind as they are able to shoot in peace around such a deserted area. The name of their movie is The Farmer’s Daughters, and the setting and the atmosphere seems to suit it very well. The old lady is very much attracted to Maxine, and wishes that she was young like her and friends who seems to enjoy their youth so much. At the same time, Lorraine, who is tired of being considered prude by others, wishes to participate in one of the intimate scenes, much to the dismay of Nichols who finds the change to his script and his lover’s change of heart to be depressing. He decides to leave the place, but finds out that it is not that easy to leave the farm, and others would also discover the same sooner or later. Now the question remains if any of them could manage to leave the place alive.

The defence of X :: The movie provides the feeling that it goes straight to the good old horror slasher roots, without hesitating like the newer additions to the genre which seems to have a few more doubts than required. This would be like sending an e-mail to those older generation of slashers and letting them know that we are still here, even though instant messaging is more of the trend. There are some memorable scenes including the alligator attack which just misses the protagonist, the meeting of two characters played by the leading actress, the elder woman invading the protagonist’s room and the final scenes of gore. The victims here are not that dumb as the characters who run around in horror films either, as the danger here would feel minimal for anyone. The movie is very much atmospheric, and the world here is suitable to be place any terrifying creature. The idea of being in a cabin in the middle of nowhere never really gets old, and never limited to Evil Dead and The Cabin in the Woods which serve as perfect examples.

Positives and negatives :: This movie is an example of something coming out of nowhere all of a sudden and keeping us interested. One might feel that there could have been more strength with its evil presence, but that side is kept rather realistic here. There are no supervillains who keep coming back for more after they seem to be dead, a case which has been repeated so many times, very recently with Halloween. The movie does have the stereotypes, but none of them used for the sake of being there, as there is some fine blending happening around here. This is also the kind of movie which makes you long for those old slashers, and a return to the past is provided with elements of nostalgia. The ideas of beauty and its fading with old age gets a special attention here, as we look at the process leading to disastrous events. The ending could have actually been more powerful, as the use of some elements resemble deus ex machina. What rises above all of these is the certainty that this is a worthy slasher horror that takes us to that childhood which had horror that lasted and eternity.

The performers of the soul :: Mia Goth was part of A Cure for Wellness with a mysterious performance, and it is nice to see her again in a genre which seems to suit her so well – the looks also come as a bonus along with her performance. It would seem that she blends in here so well that we never feels that she is not that any of those characters. Even when nothing happens, there is something about her – the swimming scene of her might be one of the spookiest among them, as danger is on the trail, and so seems many other mysterious elements. Such natural performances have been rare in slasher films. The makeup for the older version is also well done. Jenna Ortega is there as what seems to be another version of the protagonist, but there is the feeling that we do not really see enough of her here. There could have been something eerie about her in the end, but there is the feeling that the character is abandoned. Brittany Snow’s role is rather predictable, but still leaves a mark. The rest only needs to play along according to the needs here.

How it finishes :: We have not had many classic slasher movies around here which could bring us some nostalgia along with quality. This one does the job pretty well though, and in a world where slasher horror is losing power, a movie like this is very much required. There might be many reasons to deny the slasher its due, but we can always have more to accept it as a genre that demands our attention. When we consider the horror movies of the year, X is that film which has managed to grab less attention. But it is also that kind of a movie which deserved more. It would not be the perfect slasher film with that near unstoppable killer on the loose, but does manage to gain the success that it deserved with moments that will stay with us for some time. After all, being in a cabin in the woods or in the middle of nowhere makes all the impact in different forms. There is no better place to be, for any horror fan – we enjoy watching the terror unfold in such a setting, with atmosphere playing a major part in raising the level here.

Release date: 14th April 2022 (Amazon Prime Video); 18th March 2022 (Theatre)
Running time: 106 minutes
Directed by: Ti West
Starring: Mia Goth, Jenna Ortega, Brittany Snow, Martin Henderson, Owen Campbell, Stephen Ure, Scott Mescudi

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

<<< Click here to go to the full bloody slasher.

<<< Click here to go to the most classic slasher return.

@ Cemetery Watch
✠ The Vampire Bat.

No Way Home

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Vampire Owl: How many Spider-Mans do we get to see here?

Vampire Bat: Well, I know more about Batmans.

Vampire Owl: I don’t know anyone else to ask, as I don’t know a Vampire Spider.

Vampire Bat: You can still ask someone who has watched this particular movie.

Vampire Owl: I don’t need to ask any human about that.

Vampire Bat: There can always be exceptions.

Vampire Owl: I don’t make exceptions with humans.

Vampire Bat: You should try trusting one human per day.

Vampire Owl: You think that it is going to mean something.

Vampire Bat: Make an attempt today, and you will at least have a decision.

[Gets a gobi paratha and three cups of elaichi tea].

What is the movie about? :: After the death of Mysterio (Jake Gyllenhaal), it comes to light that he had revealed Spider-Man’s (Tom Holland) identity as Peter Parker. Michelle Jones-Watson a.k.a. MJ (Zendaya) finds herself as the celebrity girlfriend of a superhero without any idea what is to happen next, as they are hunted for the drones of Stark Technologies which were used by Mysterio, who had manipulated the scene as if it was Spider-Man who controlled the drones against the people of the city. People seem to believe more in Mysterio rather than Spider-Man, and Peter’s friends are questioned by the federal agents. Their applications for future studies far away from the city with a fresh start are also rejected. The charges are dropped soon enough, but they are not able to get rid of the crowd which keeps following him to such an extent that he wishes to spend most of his time on the roof of a building. Fed up with everything that has been happening around him, Peter decides to meet Dr Stephen Strange (Benedict Cumberbatch), hoping that he can come up with a solution to the miserable turn of events.

So, what happens with the events here as we just keep looking? :: In New York Sanctum, he hopes that Strange can go back in time, and make sure that what happened to him didn’t really happen. Strange doesn’t have the time stone any more, but he manages to cast a spell that would be able to make everyone forget that Spider-Man and Peter Parker are the same person. Despite being warned against using it, he feels that he is in full control. Even though the spell seems to go on well in the beginning, Peter continues to be the foolish youngster that he has always been, and request alterations with different names so that his loved ones can remember his secret identity. Strange is forced to stop the spell before something terrible happens. He contains the spell, and Strange asks him to at least try to plead his case before trying something strange like this. While he tries to do the same, Otto Octavius a.k.a. Doctor Octopus (Alfred Molina) appears out of nowhere, searching for his machine, and almost kills everyone on a bridge, causing massive destruction and loss of public and private property in the process.

And what more could happen around here as the world seems to have changed? :: As Spider-Man seems to have things in control, Norman Osborn a.k.a. Green Goblin (Willem Dafoe) seems to appear out of nowhere. Then there is Dr Curt Connors a.k.a. The Lizard (Rhys Ifans) and also Max Dillon a.k.a. Electro (Jamie Foxx) who also seems to have come from other universe, as the spell seems to have summoned people from the other universes who know that Peter Parker is Spider-Man. Doctor Strange now really needs Peter Parker and his friends to search the internet for anything strange which might have happened in the nearby areas, and get all the villains from other universes in captivity. But these are the supervillains whom he hasn’t encountered before. Electro is rather too powerful for the Spider-Man of this world, as he is too super-charged, and they don’t really know what the Green Goblin is capable of. There seems to be some changes to the powers of the supervillains too, and they hope that it is not for the worst. Now, can the newly arrived supervillains be stopped?

The defence of Spider-Man: No Way Home :: This is one movie from the third group of Spider-Man franchise that manages to bigger than ever, and also has more smartness than the earlier films of Spider-Man: Homecoming and Spider-Man: Far From Home. Even though the danger is more serious here, the humour is surely not lost with the characters. With more than one Spider-Man around, there is a lot of nostalgia related to this one too, and my favourite would always be the one from The Amazing Spider-Man and its sequel. As far as the villains are concerned, they provide nostalgia from all universes almost equally. We can credit the performers who bring the different elements of antagonists in a variety of universes very well. The action sequences continue to impress us, and with so many villains around, this surely has the grandeur. Visually, the world has been done very well, as we look at it. Even though it is not his movie with the title, it is still Benedict Cumberbatch who impresses the most here too.

Positives and negatives :: The movie becomes more relevant as it seems to begin something which will have some grand influence on the whole cinematic universe. Some repetitions will be felt, and the youngsters do feel like going a little bit too irritating. These are the kind of youth that doesn’t even take the responsibility for their actions, and still blame others for whatever dumb things they did. The seriousness should have been there during at least some of those situations which meant terrible danger for everyone around. The movie should have also focused less on getting the clap from the masses, as that time is now over after Avengers: Infinity War and Avengers: Endgame. But we know where the movie is heading – the exciting finish, that too without exaggeration, does the job. There is something for everyone who has loved Spidey through the years, no matter what the age group might be – you get enough of the superhero here.

How it finishes :: The movie which continues the Spider-Man legacy, and had a nomination for the Best Visual Effects at the 94th Academy Awards. We have all been waiting for this movie more than the other Marvel films for sure. After all, we have been fans of Spidey for such a long time, and none of our favourites were with this particular spider. It just doesn’t feel like having the effect of what has been spread as the great superhero experience with multiple Spider-Man impact. It seems that the new generation superheroes need more to be of use, after Avengers took it beyond the limits. Yet, the movie remains as interesting as most of the superheroes should be. With a superior finish after a lot of action, the movie manages to end things well. The movie surely leaves us with more to hope for with the later films. We are never finished with the superheroes who seem to keep providing us with the false hope about a world which will always remain hopeless – the world needs what is not real at all times, because reality is always worse.

Release date: 17th December 2021
Running time: 148 minutes
Directed by: Jon Watts
Starring: Tom Holland, Zendaya, Benedict Cumberbatch, Jacob Batalon, Jon Favreau, Jamie Foxx, Willem Dafoe, Alfred Molina, Benedict Wong, Tony Revolori, Marisa Tomei, Andrew Garfield, Tobey Maguire

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

@ Cemetery Watch
✠ The Vampire Bat.

Ghostbusters: Afterlife

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Vampire Owl: You mean to say that they want the ghosts dead.

Vampire Bat: I am pretty sure that vampires are not included in the list of ghosts.

Vampire Owl: So, they wish to kill us in some other movie.

Vampire Bat: Still, not as much as they have murdered their own kind.

Vampire Owl: That was not enough for an extinction event though.

Vampire Bat: Humans will be extinct sooner or later.

Vampire Owl: Have you checked all possible extinction events?

Vampire Bat: Yes, humans are part of nine thousand out of ten thousand of them.

Vampire Owl: They do have a fair chance to go extinct then.

Vampire Bat: Yes, good for the world around them, right?

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

What is the movie about? :: It is shown that there is a hunt for a supernatural entity which leads to the death of the man who tried to trap the creature. This leads to his daughter Callie (Carrie Coon) inheriting the farm. As a single mother, she struggles to pay the rent for her apartment. Her children Trevor (Finn Wolfhard) and Phoebe (Mckenna Grace) are not that fond of the happenings around there. The three moves to the house with the farm which is passed on to them. The new town where they live seems to have earthquakes at all times despite having no seismic activity recorded – there is no volcano around, and not even some loud noise in this town where nothing much happens. Trevor is infatuated by Lucky Domingo (Celeste O’Connor) who works at a nearby diner, and seeing a vacancy there, joins the place for work. Meanwhile, Phoebe joins the class of Gary Grooberson (Paul Rudd), who is there just for the sake of it, and plays movies for the students.

So, what happens with the events here as we just keep looking? :: She also meets Podcast (Logan Kim), another student who is interested in science as much as she is. The three becomes infatuated with a device which Phoebe finds at home, and it turns out to be a ghost trap. Gary who has been a fan of the Ghostbusters for a long time, tampers with the trap with the help of his students, releasing one of the spirits that scares them and immediately flies into the nearby closed mine – the locals used to believe that the place was haunted too. Callie and Gary seem to instantly attracted to each other as the three comes to the inherited home in the middle of nowhere to find clues related to ghosts. Meanwhile, Trevor and Lucky on a trip with their friends also come across a spirit which they seem to dismiss as some random smoke coming out of the abandoned mine as part of some natural process. But a word seems to stay stuck with them.

Now, where would the ghosts lead further in this tale? :: Soon, Phoebe discovers a secret laboratory underneath the outhouse on the side of their house, and it seems that there was more to her grandfather than what met the eye of the villagers who called him the dirt farmer who farmed nothing other than dirt. He was doing some special work indeed. It turns out that the ghost of the grandfather is still there, and he hopes that his grandchildren will take over the Ghostbusters procedures. Phoebe seems to be able to enjoy that prospect very much. But will the very young new generation be good enough to come with a new level of ghostbusting while working against all odds? With a new terrifying evil ready to be unleashed, how good can a group of kids leading a team be? With the evil predating everything that they know, how good can modernity work against such evil grandeur of ancient times?

The defence of Ghostbusters: Afterlife :: The movie would be very interesting for those who grew up watching the original movies of the 1980s – seems like some doses of nostalgia being in store here and there. The setting at a town in the middle of nowhere with some nice locations which are even more remote – things one get better from there. The humour works well in here too. The action is big enough, and there is a lot happening in the final stages with the fights going on against the creatures from the other world. The special effects are pretty well done, even though not with every ghost – the final demonic arrival is a sight to be appreciated though, with the background effects also playing some fine roles. Mckenna Grace remains the soul of this movie, and the one child ghostbuster that you are going to remember for long, with moments to remember. Carrie Coon – Paul Rudd moments also bring some unexpected fun. Celeste O’Connor – Finn Wolfhard team is also an enjoyable one around here.

The claws of flaw :: Anything that is specifically intended for the old fans of the franchise which started in the 1980s won’t work for us, as the series didn’t have much of a fan base in this part of the world which was more into those spirits of Evil Dead, Nightmare on Elm Street, Friday the 13th and others. It was also a reason for the reboot making no impact around here. This one which take place more than thirty years after the 1980s works seem to do better, but doesn’t make an impact around here either. Well, with The Conjuring having brought its own methods of hunting spirits, this method would surely seem less effective – this still seems to be twilight times of The Conjuring franchise and that brings some chance for another sequel. There could have also been some deviation from what seems to be less suited moments around here. It could have also been less inclined to be suitable for children, as ghosts have evolved enough during these days. The beginning stages also take some time to get going, thus stretching the movie to something above two hours.

How it finishes :: Ghostbusters: Afterlife works well with its elements, and seem to know the strength to use to the advantage – the same is done in most parts, even though the film doesn’t go on to become the perfect return vehicle for such ghosts of many people’s nostalgia. Not to be confused with Resident Evil: Afterlife, this movie has enough hunting of ghosts to keep us interested. With another sequel, much more can be achieved by this particular franchise, which seems to have enough family-friendly ghosts in action. Well, this is one film with ghosts which can be watched with all kinds of people as audience. One one side, we have The Conjuring, Insidious, Ouija, The Curse of La Llorna, Sinister, The Nun, Annabelle and team, and on the other side we have this one which is not really for the scares, but has its own ghosts to keep the haunting going strong. Well, as much as we need those other films, this one is in requirement too – no doubt about that.

Release date: 19th November 2021
Running time: 124 minutes
Directed by: Jason Reitman
Starring: Carrie Coon, Finn Wolfhard, Mckenna Grace, Annie Potts, Ernie Hudson, Paul Rudd

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@ Cemetery Watch
✠ The Vampire Bat.

The Matrix: Resurrections

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Vampire Owl: Do you remember the first time that we watched The Matrix?

Vampire Bat: Yes, you understood twenty five percent of the movie then.

Vampire Owl: I am sure that I understood more than fifty percentage of it.

Vampire Bat: You still had to read details about the story a hundred times.

Vampire Owl: I don’t remember having read the plot even once.

Vampire Bat: I remember that you did the same for the makers’ other film, Jupiter Ascending.

Vampire Owl: I don’t even remember watching that movie.

Vampire Bat: It was on the same day that you attended Mr Frankenstein‘s Grand Exhibition.

Vampire Owl: Dr Frankenstein has thousands of exhibitions every year.

Vampire Bat: You are talking about that many fake science exhibitions.

[Gets a paneer fried rice and three cups of white tea].

What is the movie about? :: Thomas Anderson (Keanu Reeves) is a game designer and the creator of a very popular video game series called The Matrix, which already had three games in the franchise. The game is based on his memories as Neo, which is not clear, but he does feel that there is a lot in his head which feels real. He is mostly happy with his life, as living as a famous game designer seems like a pretty good option. He keeps coming across a woman named Tiffany (Carrie-Anne Moss) who is a married woman with two kids, and she seems to be based on a main character whom he had designed for the video game, Trinity. He becomes friendly with her, and he likes him, but doesn’t seem to remember him at all, just like he is not sure how she became a part of his game. He struggles to separate his life and these strange memories, and his therapist gives him some strange pills in support. A young lady named Bugs (Jessica Henwick) finds this game simulation which is running an old code in a loop based on the time when Trinity had found Neo. With the help of a programme which has embodied Morpheus (Yahya Abdul-Mateen II) in a new form, she starts searching for answers, as Neo was supposed to be dead. Two of them combine the forces looking for Neo and finds him in the end.

So, what happens with the events here as we just keep looking? :: The machines sent by Bugs save him, and he is taken to her ship known as the Mnemosyne. He is taken to the new city of the human resistance, where a lot older Niobe (Jada Pinkett Smith) awaits them. She is not happy that Bugs brought Neo to the area which is now a safe house, and tells her that she and her crew of Lexy (Erendira Ibarra, Sequoia (Toby Onwumere), Berg (Brian J Smith) and others are now grounded with the ship. It turns out that sixty years have passed in the real world after the war between humans and machines had ended. Except for Niobe who now takes the decisions around there, mostly adamant and foolish, while everyone else from the original human resistance are now dead, including Morpheus as he was known, and had led the resistance earlier. She tells them that there was some peace achieved through his sacrifice, which lasted for some years, but eventually, things got worse. Now, can Trinity be freed? Can there be peace again?

The defence of The Matrix: Resurrections :: You know the thing about The Matrix, which means that you mostly know what can happen with this version too – the trailer had set the expectations going well. There is a lot of action for sure, and you do enjoy it, even though these are not things which you haven’t seen before – the fights go on in a stylish manner within the movie, and there are also some nice worlds built around here. The advanced special effects and computer generated imagery means that this particular world looks even better than how it used to be earlier. Here we have Keanu Reeves doing what he has been doing the best again, which is always a thing of quality – outside the world of John Wick, Neo is indeed an iconic character and we are never tired of watching him around there. The new additions of the cast are very much suited to this situation of post-apocalyptic science fiction action. After all, we know that this is the kind of situation which could happen at any point of time, with machines taking over being the best option for any apocalyptic event – the extinction of human kind is not something that we can resist. Then, this is a world which has no shortage of style.

The claws of flaw :: The Matrix: Resurrections which comes as the very late addition to the list of movies in a franchise which was far above the others of that time, doesn’t manage to live up to that hype or the grand expectations which were always present. When Neo is coming again after a long time, you expect that this is going to be something above all, but with the lack of innovation, they try to share the qualities that makes Neo with a female characters, which is pretty much the dumbest decision that they can do with some dumb romance added to a film which could have stopped that with the third movie and a few deaths. Actually, the third movie of the franchise served as such a fine ending, and this often keeps feeling a lot unnecessary. One has to wonder if any action sequences in this movie will be remembered much in comparison to the earlier movies, among which all of them had some special moments of fight scenes. The beginning is also too slow, leaving the film too long with so much of initial moments good enough to be cut. One would guess that this one is more intended to make some quick money on the fame which those classic movies had, but that attempt seems to have failed in rising up to the expectations too.

The performers of the soul :: We know that this has been the movie which made Keanu Reeves the huge star all around the world, even though I have always remembered him facing the devil in Constantine and Devil’s Advocate more than any others as well the vampire as Jonathan Harker in Bram Stoker’s Dracula of 1992, and maybe a few older people might go for Speed as the initial big thing from him. The new generation surely had John Wick with its sequels, and I do like his science fiction works like Replicas too. Yet, this is the one role in which almost everyone of my age would have wanted to see him again, and he is here, with the same strength that he had at that earlier point. Carrie-Anne Moss is someone whom we remembers for this franchise itself, and it is always good to see her back – she has become part of this world again really well. Yet, the actress who makes the most impact is Jessica Henwick, who played second fiddle in Underwater nicely, and she is indeed lovely – the baton should be passed on to her soon enough. Yahya Abdul-Mateen II doesn’t stand up to Laurence Fishburne, but remains okay. Erendira Ibarra also has a notable role. Jonathan Groff and Neil Patrick Harris are villains for the sake of being, as machines rule over them. Priyanka Chopra Jonas is there for the sake of being there.

How it finishes :: The big question about this particular movie is whether it was actually needed at all, for these are not the times when the first three movies came into existence, and the adaptation to the new audience who have witnessed all of these already, and then again through other movies would have had some strange feeling about watching this one. You are coming up with a sequel so many years later, and it would require something more than what was already seen, and this one falls flat on innovation. But, there is a lot of entertainment with the action happening all around, and nostalgia is something that sells, which means that we can always watch this version of The Matrix too, and hope that a great worthy sequel will be made at some other point of time. Until then, let us be happy enough with this one, and hope that the Corona virus would stop coming again and again, as watching movies like this at the theatre can mean more, even though I would always prefer the OTT versions. After all, becoming poor by paying so much for the movie tickets, parking and food after being in a traffic jam for such a long time, followed by dumb fans in a theatre is terror, no matter which one is the flick.

Release date: 22nd December 2021 (Theatre); 12th May 2022 (Amazon Prime Video)
Running time: 148 minutes
Directed by: Lana Wachowski
Starring: Keanu Reeves, Carrie-Anne Moss, Yahya Abdul-Mateen II, Jessica Henwick, Jonathan Groff, Neil Patrick Harris, Priyanka Chopra Jonas, Jada Pinkett Smith

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@ Cemetery Watch
✠ The Vampire Bat.