What did you watch this week turtleneck? (10/29-11/04)

Hello, hello.

Yours:
Nightmare on Elm Street (2010) 6.5/10
Friday the 13th (2009) 5/10

and I missed all of the watch party movies this week :(

My week(s) :(throwing some in from when I was gone as I'm not really watching a lot these days)

The Wonderful Story of Henry Sugar (2023) 8/10
I was so apprehensive about watching this. I still have my copy of 'The Wonderful Story of Henry Sugar and Six More' and not going to lie, I reread it again not too long ago. It has been one of my favourite Dahl books for over 40 years. I run hot and cold on Wes Anderson. This adaptation is all Wes Anderson, but I thought it really worked. The casting was great. I know the style will not be for everyone, but if we all liked the same things the world would be so bland.

V/H/S/85 (2023) 4.5/10
It took me a couple of days to get through this one. I don't really know why I bothered as I only really liked the first 2. I guess I had hope that this one might be better, but I just really didn't care for any of it. The wrap around story was boring, I liked having No Wake and Ambrosia tied together as when watching, I was disappointed at the end of No Wake. I thought Dreamkill could have been pretty cool, but it just felt like something was missing. I guess I just feel like that I liked some of the ideas here, but I just didn't feel like I got anything out if it. I might be being harsh.

Totally Killer (2023) 8/10
Is this deserving of the rating I gave it? Maybe not totally, but you know what? I really enjoyed watching it. I really love 80s movies, and I really love horror comedies so this was right up my alley. Not everything worked, and I found the reveals not to be twisty at all, but I laughed more than once and that's really all that counts for me. A lot of fun to watch and I will certainly watch it again.

Checkin’ It Twice (2023) 5/10
I can't say that this is really encouraging for the rest of Hallmark's 2023 Christmas line up. It is the first one I've watched this year, and I'm not impressed. It was a very generic story, which can be okay if there is great chemistry. There really wasn't here, and to be honest, neither was the Christmas. I mean it was serviceable, but not one I will watch again.

Where Are You, Christmas? (2023) 5/10
I don't know what to think about this one. I liked the idea of the story, but the rest was lacking. I know it's a Hallmark budget, but Pleasantville looked so much better 25 years ago. Some of the acting was also a little meh. I don't want to completely dump on the movie, because there were things that I liked about it. Just not enough for it to make my Hallmark rewatch list.

Hell House LLC Origins: The Carmichael Manor (2023) 7/10
I may have to give this one another watch to fully appreciate it as I did have a few interruptions while I was watching, but as of this viewing, I liked it a lot, but I didn't love it. If you know me, you know I love the first 3, and have watched them several times. The first one is probably in my top 3 favourite found footage movies.
I think this was well made, and other than one actress, I thought the acting was pretty decent for the genre. I thought the location was fantastic. I liked the tie-ins to the Abaddon Hotel to a point, but honestly, the clowns didn't do it for me here. There really wasn't anything that we haven't seen before, so that was disappointing.
That isn't to say that I didn't enjoy it, or that I wouldn't watch it again because I did and I will. I just wanted something a little more different. I think Stephen Cognetti is really good at these types of movies, and I will certainly check out anything he does. Who knows? Maybe on a different day I will think this is the best of the bunch.

Ms. Christmas Comes to Town (2023) 7/10
So this one actually felt like Christmas. I liked that it dealt with a bit of a heavy topic, but it wasn't a downer. Romance was not the main focus, even though there was chemistry between our couple. I certainly liked this one better than the others I have watched this year. I'm not 100% sold on putting it on my rewatch list, but I will put it on there, and decide later. I'm happy that it wasn't a disappointment.

The Boy Who Could Fly (1986) 9/10
I loved this movie as a kid, and I still really loved it today. It's a really sweet movie which deals with some heavy topics. It really feels 80s, and I loved the score by Bruce Broughton. The cast is great, especially the wonderful Colleen Dewhurst. It was fun watching it this time around and noticing all the Vancouver locations. Not something I ever noticed as a kid. It was a really fun rewatch and one that I will not wait so long to watch again.

All obliged to the necks of turtles!

Nightmare on Elm Street (2010) - Inspired casting with Jackie Earle Haley as Freddy, but this didn't have enough ideas to warrant a feature film. 5.5

Two Heads Creek (2019) - A cracking start with a bit of a lull in the middle. I enjoyed the sibling dynamic and the last 15 minutes or so. 6.5

Microwave Massacre - One of the lesser entries in the killer appliance sub-genre of horror, though I still appreciated the intent. This would have worked better with Ernest Borgnine as the lead. 6

Crimewave (1984) - I cannot overstate my appreciation for the madcap zaniness of this movie and how it plays out like a live action looney tunes meshed with Three Stooges slapstick. 7

Also this week:

Ransom (1996) - A serviceable potboiler with assured direction from Ron Howard, plus some committed performances and just enough story nuance to help carry it through to the end. 6.5

A Haunting in Venice (2023) - Another solid Christie adaptation from Branagh with some curious directorial decisions this time around. 7

The Vals (1983) - It must have been pretty fun when privacy and personal boundaries were up for grabs! This movie is loaded with silly one liners, and a lot of brilliantly improvised moments, chief amongst them a valley girl throwing out "hoser". 6.5

New York Ninja (2021) - I had to watch this wonderful piece of cinema again. This would be perfect for a future MovieChat movie night! 10

Recently acquired the complete The Office (US) on BluRay. Been jumping around random seasons/episodes.

Currently watching S08E01.

Taylor Swift: The Eras Tour (2023) - I took one for the team and took my 9 year old daughter to see it. At nearly 3 hours, it goes on a bit - even Miss K said it was too long. Great production values - a must see if you’re a fan 6/10.

Hello again.

Nightmare on elm street (2010) 7/10
Friday the 13th (2009) 5/10
The Lego Ninjago movie 8/10
Bloody birthday 7/10

I watched:

Welcome Danger 1929 5/10 I like Harold Lloyd, but this was not very funny or entertaining. It is also far too long.

Joyeux Noel 2023 7/10 I enjoyed this. I liked the actors and the story.

House on Haunted Hill 1959 (rewatch) 7/10 Enjoyable and fun with good performances and nice sets.

Halloween 1978 (rewatch) 7/10 Happy Halloween!

Christmas at the Chalet 2023 7/10 This was pleasant and charming.

My Christmas Guide 2023 8/10 I really liked this. Performances are good from the actors (especially the doggy). It's a sweet, touching, and enjoyable film. One of the better Hallmark Christmas films.

Flipping for Christmas 2023 6/10 This was fine.

The River’s Edge 1957 7/10 Pretty good film noir/crime drama with strong performances from the three lead actors. Decent story, some good dialogue.

The House on Telegraph Hill 1951 6/10 I liked Valentina Cortese's performance and I thought the cinematography and score were good too. I found the film only mildly interesting though and it didn't feel noir enough for my liking.

The Naked City 1948 8/10 I thought this was well made and entertaining.

Never Been Chris’d 2023 7/10 I liked that this was a little different than most Hallmark Christmas films, with more of a focus on the friendship between the women than on the romance.

Of Yours:

Friday the 13th & Nigjtmare on Elm Street remakes get a 5/10 for me.

My Week:

Five nights at Freddy's (2023 Peacok) - Watched this while babysitting the neighbour's kids. Woulda probably enjoyed it if I played the games or was familiar with the lore. But I'm not. 5/10

Friday the 13th re:view Part 1 & 2 by Redlettermedia (2023 Youtube) - Wouldn't call myself a fan of the franchise but I throughly enjoyed watching them talk about all 10 movies for 2 hours. 10/10

Wasn't sick last week, so less time to watch MOOVIES!

None of your this week for me, but for the first time I actually looked at the dates in your subject, and it didn't compute, and it felt like I went somewhere for a moment or like had a minor stroke. Why you put the month before the day? Is it to pander to those pesky Americans? tsk tsk

I should look into Two heads creek, cuz I hear 20 mins of bonkers, I'm interested. Crimewave sounds interesting too.

DISCLAMER: All allusions to what Anti-Vaxxers think are written purely in jest and any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, is entirely coincidental.

Cell (2016) AKA What Anti-Vaxxers Think Would Happen to All The People Who Took the Covid Vaccine vis-a-vis 5G.

Your phone is literally turning you into a mindless hive-minded killing machine: The Movie. Is this movie dumb? Yes. Is this movie fun? Yes. John Cusack has somehow moulded into Nick Cage in this, look-wise. Sam LLLL Jackson is always reliable. The first time I watched this I think I had just read the book, and that may have influenced my opinion. Now I have literally zero memory of the book, and I had fun, the 5G “zombies” were cool-ish, the flocking was also cool-ish. And I like the downer of an ending, even though that final shot is very weird. Not a masterpiece by any means.

Actually it might be good for your Movie Club thing, and it’s on Youtube!

...

Psycho II (1983) - one of the better horror remakes. a good storyline and perkins and tilly were very good. 7/10

Bad Timing (1980) - finally saw this. art garfunkel can't act and there are way toom nay scenes with his skinny ass. harvey keital was also miscast. 4/10

Don't Torture A Duckling (1972) - one of the better italian horror/thriller movies/ i was able to figure out who the killer was. you can see the poverty in southern italy in this movie. 7/10

The Perfume of the Lady in Black (1974) - another giallo horror. hard to tell what was real and what was not. the ending is something else. 5/10