Tag Archives: past

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

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

@ 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

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

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

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

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

@ Cemetery Watch
✠ The Vampire Bat.

Eleven

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Vampire Owl: Do you know that there are not even eleven vampires in our team?

Vampire Bat: Well, we do not need that many vampires around here.

Vampire Owl: So, we are not building an army?

Vampire Bat: Why do we need an army right now?

Vampire Owl: To defeat an army of serial killer humans?

Vampire Bat: This movie only has one serial killer.

Vampire Owl: But humans are basically trained to be serial killers.

Vampire Bat: We do not see an army of serial killers in one movie.

Vampire Owl: There are many, but they show only a few of them.

Vampire Bat: Well, humans are meant to be born killers with inherent evil, and only one small push will do for even children.

[Gets a chicken cutlet and three cups of Wayanad tea].

What is the movie about? :: ACP Aravindan IPS (Naveen Chandra) is a police officer who has a near-perfect record of solving even the most impossible cases, and had recently caught a finance bank robbery group which had never failed in their crimes before with perfect calculations. This success is celebrated well on media, but a darker case was evolving in the background. ACP Ranjith IPS (Shashank) who is in charge of this new case involving serial killings almost dies in an accident after the body count reaches six, Aravindan is asked to investigate. Ranjith who barely survived, and is in the hospital promises to support him in any way possible, even though left out of service due to injury. For his support, SI Manohar (Dileepan) is given the duty, and both find themselves in a confused state as there was never any real clue found by previous investigatory and Ranjith. Aravindan discovers an interesting piece of evidence, an ankle-surgery plate in one of the victims, which helps them shortlist seven individuals based on age.

So, what happens with the events here as we just keep looking? :: At the same time, Sanjana (Reyaa Hari) who comes to a restaurant to meet her possible groom who was selected by her parents sees Aravindan who is wearing the same identification in the form of a grey shirt, and falling in love with him as he beats up multiple goons. She tells him about her desire, but he immediately rejects her and asks her to marry the person whom her parents had found for her. Aravindan reaches Sudhakar (Kireeti Damaraju) while tracing the ankle-surgery plate and Meera (Riythvika) while hearing about a beggar talking about a girl being abducted. The police also find a common group photo in both houses, finally finding a connection. Aravindan understands that the only connection between the twins is their school, Twin Birds Matriculation School, which no longer exists as it was burned down in a fire, followed by the death of its owner Ravi (Ravi Varma). This feels like a very strange connection with a past that they wish to forget from their childhood, which had a secret which was buried. Now, the question remains about who all will be targeted from that past.

The defence of Eleven :: This might be one of the most interesting versions of serial killer related murder investigations as it focuses on twins. At the same time, the visuals are nothing less than stunning, and the colours here especially at night seems to bring the best of Chennai. This is the kind of movie which quickly has us interested, and gets us through the journey with guesses, but brings those kinds of twists which come out of nowhere. But there is no overdose of the same like we had seen in Mirage, as things just went out of control. There are the twists over twists which works so well, and the suspense only gets stronger, while red herrings add on well. The shots of cemetery and the styling lacks in nothing. As the cinematography, background score and production values deserve praise, they keep us deeper in the movie here. The flashback tale is also very much interesting which reminds us that one has to pay for the heartless mistakes one makes, whether it is as a child or as an adult because humanity is not learned in old age, but part of human character rather early.

Positives and negatives :: The movie’s romantic side is a mess, and it is saved by the fact that the same is not given that much of a focus. There is something that makes us feel that it was not needed at all. There might also be the feeling that we have rather too many serial killers around, but in our world, one has to say that it is not a surprise to have such people hiding behind different faces. For some people, there might be points where there are missing connections, but it is seen that everything comes together at the end. It is always nice to see the inherent evil of man at work, like in William Golding’s Lord of the Flies – taking children as innocent is not the way to go; the actions of the kids could feel even more evil in nature than that of the adults as they are not forced into situations, but use them right out of their hearts. There are always the little demons in this world of chaos, and here we see that element coming back to haunt them as adults. This makes sure that there is always something different and divergent even in the nature of the movie, and revenge remains justified.

The performers of the soul :: The movie is guided by a solid performance from Naveen Chandra, who becomes a perfect police officer with that determination on his face that never seems to leave the character. The intensity that he shows in a quiet and determined manner, never going overboard, sets a fine example here, without also overdoing any action sequence. The different shades of his character work so well that we do not think about having any other perfect police officer during this time period. Reyaa Hari, the producer who is the leading lady is under-utilized, and in the role, does quite less – cannot blame her though, as the romantic side lags behind in almost everything and this approach does not suit her; yet she does fine in the final moments of the movie. Dileepan also remains solid as the supporting police officer, as his character also contributes to the twists well. Shashank plays the third important police man, and that also works nicely. Abhirami’s role is also an interesting one here. Riythvika also adds on to the proceedings here with memorable moments. The same can also be said about Kireeti Damaraju’s work.

How it finishes :: Eleven is one of the best investigation thrillers featuring a serial killer and twists remain very much effective with suspense all around. For the fans of investigative thrillers who wish to see murders coming out of a buried past, this one is surely worth a watch, as there is a good score to be taken for its strong lead, technical polishing and the satisfying second half which comes to an ending which it deserved. The ability to remain engaging from the beginning to the end is a skill that not many movies possess. There is nothing much that it misses, and we are familiar with some classic thrillers with serial killers from Memories to Abraham Ozler, Forensic, Anjaam Pathiraa, John Luther, Antakshari, Paappan and others which have kept Malayalam movie industry going strong. This movie could have surely used more hype and much more screens here, as we are the kind of people who like the twists and thrills with a serial killer around and a mystery which is soaked in revenge and best served cold. For now, this one serves the same well in Amazon Prime Video in multiple languages.

Release date: 16th May 2025
Running time: 135 minutes
Directed by: Lokkesh Ajls
Starring: Naveen Chandra, Reyaa Hari, Abhirami, Ravi Varma, Riythvika, Shashank, Dileepan, Arjai, Aadukalam Naren, Kireeti Damaraju

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

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

@ 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

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

@ Cemetery Watch
✠ The Vampire Bat.

Atlas

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Vampire Owl: I have known others with the name Atlas before.

Vampire Bat: I believe that it was Cloud Atlas.

Vampire Owl: So, you feel that there is nothing common among the two.

Vampire Bat: There should be a little bit of future related things in both.

Vampire Owl: A world of future never gets old in the past or present.

Vampire Bat: Well, the future does seem to be very much different than what we thought many years ago.

Vampire Owl: Yes, third world war is too late in human world.

Vampire Bat: And the space colonization has been delayed too much.

Vampire Owl: What about time travel? I believe that there was going to be a time machine with a rage of 10000 BC to 12000 AD.

Vampire Bat: Well, we do not even have teleportation yet.

[Gets some Paneer 65 and three cups of orange tea].

What is the movie about? :: It is the year 2043, and humanoid artificial intelligence terrorist Harlan Shepherd (Simu Liu) leads a war of machines against humans, which leaves about three million people dead, proving the scientist who adopted him as his son, and the founder of the programme Val Shepherd (Lana Parrilla) wrong in her theories and expectations about a better future with Artificial Intelligence. The group of machines seem to be too powerful a force to counter for any nation and its military power. An apocalyptic event which soon lead to the extinction of humanity seems imminent, with Harlan having full access to all machines and controlling all similar forces. There are talks around and the military forces of the world join together to form a group known as International Coalition of Nations (ICN), and this leads to the humans finally winning many battles against Harlan much to the dismay of the machines. This forces him to escape Earth and locate himself in outer space, with a promise to come back and finish what he had started with determination.

So, what happens with the events here as we just keep looking? :: After twenty-eight years pass without the machines making any direct battles with humans, Atlas Maru Shepherd (Jennifer Lopez), an analyst, the daughter of Harlan’s designer, has been hunting for a chance to find the escaped machines who are responsible for that near-apocalyptic event. After one of Harlan’s AI agents is captured and interrogated by her using special techniques, she finds out that Harlan can be found on a planet in the Andromeda Galaxy. As she provides this information to the others, keeps insisting that she should come along and face Harlan, something which she has wanted to do for a very long time. The military hopes to use AI-assisted giant robots known as ARCs which connect to human rangers through a neural link, but Atlas in not ready for the same as she distrusts all kinds of Artificial Intelligence. But Harlan’s drones attack their spaceship just before entering the planet’s atmosphere, and Atlas is forced to enter an ARC herself and falls right on to the planet’s surface.

And what more can happen between humans and machines now? :: Atlas is not happy about her situation within a machine, but she manages to gain basic control of the ARC despite her distrust of the Artificial Intelligence who introduces itself as Smith in a very friendly manner. As they move, the two combine forces and soon find the rest of the rangers dead, and somehow manages to escape to escape from the humanoids chasing them despite the link between her and the machine being weak. She reluctantly agrees to directly interface her mind with Smith, allowing for greater control of the ARC. This allows them to move on with a hope to escape, as finding and defeating Harlan seems to be almost impossible now as she is no monster hunter and the enemy is too strong. But is there still a chance to stop Harlan, and should they take it instead of going through the route to the escape pod? Is there something they can do, and is there a chance that Harlan will directly come to get them? Is Harlan actually a villain or is there something more to him than what meets the eye?

The defence of Atlas :: The biggest advantage of this movie is its stunning visuals with some fine Computer-Generated Imagery and visual effects that elevates this movie so much that people would have wanted to watch the same on the big screen. The spaceships, visuals of space and the planet in Proxima Centauri, along with the stylish AI machines are joy to watch, often reminding one of some computer games – remembering MissionForce: CyberStorm of 1996. Then we know Pacific Rim and its sequel. The messages of Artificial Intelligence and trust, along with the idea about human future being devastation does keep all the thinking going forward. All the action makes things more interesting, and the alien planet is something that everyone would look forward to. Jennifer Lopez mostly manages to handle this quite well, even though the role would have suited a newer, younger or lesser-known actress better with the tale seemingly going in that path. There are no unnecessary complications of science here though, and without an Interstellar-kind of scientific overdose, the move scores more on the true science-fiction and not that science-reality mode that keeps the viewers struggling. The Mech-AI and bonding feels nice too.

The claws of flaw :: The movie not having a younger main character to suit the situation more does hurt it at times, and there are moments when it seems to go into a silly mode. There is too much focus on one character even when this is about saving the world. It does not feel appropriate to see that the most trained leader of the rangers and his fully matched AI companion falls too easily while the analyst gets to defeat advanced Artificial Intelligence humanoids with powerful weapons with ease – it is quite the disgrace to the soldiers and their battle-hardened commander intending on saving the world. Somehow, their only duty seems to be focused on keeping the seemingly useless emotionally struggling elder lady who might be mostly out control, safe at all times. In that case, they should have kept her back home, as she is nowhere close to as guide as she claimed to be with the Artificial Intelligence leader, with her missing out on the most predictable part of the movie. The basic idea about Artificial Intelligence seems to be overused, even though we do not come to know that it is what we are dealing with, until the movie is somewhat closer to its end.

How it finishes :: Atlas could have surely been a better movie with less predictability, with more of a consideration on its basic strengths, but it remains an entertainer, and for that much there is no doubt. The repetition itself holds it down, but the same seems to be the one thing that would drive movies like this forever. The film was surely not well-received by the critics and Jennifer Lopez was even nominated for the Worst Actress category at the Golden Raspberry Awards – but you know that critics often make no sense, as they recently did with Madame Web, and we know that even the best movies do not make money, like John Carter. This movie could have at least received some accolades for its graphics and visuals, for the settings in space need not always be this good, and not all science fiction are spectacles of this quality, not even those much-famed superhero movies of Marvel. You watch this one for the beauty on the screen and another world of future with an emotional and classic touch. Well, you need movies like these at regular intervals to keep the love for science fiction going, and not those silly stuff which deviates from the genre’s core.

Release date: 24th May 2024 (Netflix)
Running time: 120 minutes
Directed by: Brad Peyton
Starring: Jennifer Lopez, Simu Liu, Sterling K Brown, Mark Strong, Gregory James Cohan, Abraham Popoola, Lana Parrilla

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

@ 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.

ARM

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Vampire Bat: That never counted as a real movie.

Vampire Owl: What about that show in Science City?

Vampire Bat: That was never a regular film.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Vampire Owl: This is what Odiyan could have been.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

@ Cemetery Watch
✠ The Vampire Bat.

Totally Killer

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

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

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

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

Vampire Owl: I am talking about complete extinction here.

Vampire Bat: There will always be smarter species surviving.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

@ Cemetery Watch
✠ The Vampire Bat.

Blue Beetle

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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@ Cemetery Watch
✠ The Vampire Bat.

The Pope’s Exorcist

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Vampire Owl: They shall never dare to exorcise us.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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@ Cemetery Watch
✠ The Vampire Bat.

Killer Book Club

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Vampire Owl: This would be an interesting book club.

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

Vampire Owl: Who reads that many books these days?

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

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

Vampire Bat: I do take external book club cards.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

@ Cemetery Watch
✠ The Vampire Bat.

Wifelike

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Vampire Owl: There should be a movie called vampire-like.

Vampire Bat: There is no other like the vampires.

Vampire Owl: Some of the hybrids claim to be so.

Vampire Bat: The claim is certainly not valid.

Vampire Owl: There are some assurances made in relation to that.

Vampire Bat: Most of those assurances do not bind.

Vampire Owl: I am sure that they were good enough on paper.

Vampire Bat: It is surprising that you have started to believe random assurances.

Vampire Owl: Well, I have been different after the corona virus pandemic.

Vampire Bat: You are yet to know enough about that virus.

[Gets a paneer pizza and three cups of Vagamon tea].

What is the movie about? :: A company named Wifelike begins to provide android companions to people who lost them or requires someone new. An robotic human, programmed to serve as a partner, Meredith (Elena Kampouris) gets assigned as a companion to a widower William (Jonathan Rhys Meyers). This cyborg-being is designed to behave like his late wife with the same name. Everything seems to work fine, but there is an organization named SCAIR or Sentient Citizens for AI Rights who are considered to be terrorists who use the companions for other purposes including wrecking havoc. At the same time, some of these people are seen as asking for equal rights for AI, similar to humans. Meredith is learning everything slowly, while William has the job of protecting companions, while finding those missing among them. It becomes more and more of a dangerous job, as there is an unknown figure known by the name Ring Master completely in control of the activities of SCAIR, and he means to cause more harm.

So, what happens with the events here as we just keep looking? :: There are also interactive dream operators for the companions, to bring the dream mode which helps them while charging themselves in hibernation. There is something strange in these dreams though, as a masked man gives her a card, and the programme does not identify such a person. Meredith finds a lady on the way who asks her to remember while causing her a distraction. The strange lady also visits Meredith in the house. In the dreams, she keeps seeing a masked man who asks her to remember. William assures her that it was only a bad dream, and nothing more. But it seems that her programming has been hacked, and William begins to feel that things are getting more serious than it was supposed to be. The dreams which allows the companions to rest are not safe any more. Wifelike soon brings a new group of company, known as Childlike, which has perfect babies being created. But there is a mess which has already been created, and it requires more attention, and Meredith could end up being a ghost in a shell without some fine job of repair.

The defence of Wifelike :: The idea behind the movie is strong, and even though it feels set in a future, one cannot forget the fact that there are always immense possibilities for the rich and the powerful. There will always be people who can buy anything. The movie goes through such a feeling strongly, in an environment which has been very well created. The stunning visuals support the same throughout its run. The twists of the movie are also nicely crafted, and there are some red herrings brought in here and there to make sure that the audience won’t guess the whole thing exactly as it is supposed to be. The final moments bring in the chance for a sequel, and there are moments when we feel that this film could make a return as a cult classic in the future. Elena Kampouris leads the work from the core, and there are so many moments which reminds us that we will have more than what meets the eye, and the same would be proven in the end.

Positives and negatives :: There are reminders here about other science fiction movies for sure, and at times, we cannot find what we need around here. One might feel that it gets slow and losses focus at times, but everything comes together in the end, and we feel that those moments which were felt to be less important are also significant around here. There could have been some more fine moments added here, with the capabilities of other companions also explored, and the life of at least one more of them being shown. Instead, the movie shows the others as just being less significant androids even while talking about equality for the artificial intelligence. Well, with the further development of aritificial intelligence, there will always be chance for more occuring in real life, even if it need not always be about a Terminator-like incident in which machines take over, or some Ultron requiring Avengers to save the day. With thought-provoking movies like this one, we can always expect more.

The performers of the soul :: The movie is led by Elena Kampouris, who comes up with a memorable performance as an android, human recreated into a robot, with a past that she cannot hold on to. She makes a fine robot, and the past is also shown in an interesting manner. She provides many moments to remember, and the emotional past is only another side of her resurrection in the form of the perfect companion. There are signs which show the possibilities of her becoming a bigger star, seemingly well-suited to become a scream queen at some point of time. Playing an android with so much of artificial intelligence would not be an easy task, but she has nailed it. Jonathan Rhys Meyers also plays his role well, and the twist about him makes the character even more interesting. The final moments do set up well for a sequel in which he could bring in another side of the whole companion thing talked about in the movie. The other actors and actresses provide good support, but the movie is indeed focused on these two.

How it finishes :: In the end, Wifelike does not become another Ex Machina, but it does come close in the process. The ideas do travel in a similar path on multiple occasions, but there are not many things that match that particular movie which can be considered as a classic among works of science fiction which dealt with similar topics. The movie gets a number of things right, and with the leading lady interpreting the idea of the android really well, it has more than enough to deal with the content an bring the entertainment along with the twists that work well. Well, when some actresses play humans, they end up with such robotic performances that we would want to ask them to play robots, but here we have the actress who can play both sides. Most of the rating do not bring any justice to this movie, as there combination is indeed effective with this one. This is one movie which could have used more attention when it was released.

Release date: 20th December 2022
Running time: 105 minutes
Directed by: James Bird
Starring: Jonathan Rhys Meyers, Elena Kampouris, Doron Bell, Sara Sampaio, Rachelle Goulding, CJ Perry, Alix Villaret, Agam Darshi, Doron Bell, Fletcher Donovan, Claire Friesen, Sari Mercer, Chezca Vega, Stephen Lobo, Bradley Stryker

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@ 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

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@ 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

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

@ Cemetery Watch
✠ The Vampire Bat.