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Howling_at_the_Moon_Reviews
Acting since 1998
Theater 1998 - 2014
Film & Tv 2014 - Present
Based out of ATL
Ratings
Most Recently Rated
Reviews
The Forest (2016)
Lost in the woods in many ways
I thought that this was going to end up being better than it was... not by a ton, but I was pretty dissatisfied with the way it was all wrapped up. It ended up not feeling like much of a pay off and there was just sooo much left up in the air, leaving it feeling pretty unfulfilling. I'm all for creating an air of confusion and not having to know exactly what is going on at all points or knowing what is real or not... but it comes to a point where it is too much and doesn't feel very finessed, stops being as engaging and ends up being almost lazy from a story building perspective. I thought this had a lot of potential and a solid foundation with some great performances... it just got a little lost in the woods. Would recommend but not urgently, 4.5 rounding up to a 5.
Never Let Go (2024)
A Berry mental health crisis
Honestly, I went into this thinking I was going to see a bad movie... and it really ended up just being pretty mid... so I guess that's good? It was generally entertaining enough but certainly nothing special.
The core of the concept was intriguing and a good jumping off point, however the writers felt really noncommittal to what was happening. I understand instilling a sense of confusion and doubt, leaving the watcher questioning what the truth is. However, there was something about the way it was done here that felt like the writers almost didn't know which direction they wanted to take.
Halle Berry's performance wasn't my favorite, but it wasn't bad by any means and the children did a good job. There was also something visually about most of the scary aspects of this movie that felt oddly a bit silly throughout.
Overall I thought this landed at a "fine" but not something I would strongly recommend and urge someone to run out and see.
The Substance (2024)
The substance of society
As the lights went up in the theater I knew I had enjoyed this movie however almost 48 hours later after letting it settle, I enjoyed it even more than I thought I did.
Aesthetically it was vibrant and captivating with a style of editing we have seen before but here it felt fresh and worked well. The acting all around was pretty superb, constantly teetering the line between subtle/nuanced, down to earth performances and just straight up campy goodness.
The overall message here was poignant but not SO preachy that it was deterring. The first two acts were intriguing and entertaining for sure, but this movie really shined in the third act and that's when I really fell in love.
My biggest complaint with this one is that it really didn't need to be over two hours and I think it would've been more successful if it wasn't. They could've easily shaved a solid 15 to 20 minutes off of the first two acts and had a more concise, solid run time. There is also a decent amount of suspension of disbelieve required here. Not because of its absurdity per se, but more so within the story, how the characters interact and the rules within this universe that sometimes don't feel fully fledged.
Overall this was a really refreshing and fun experience. It feels like we haven't gotten something really different and original in a while and this certainly scratched that itch. 7.5 rounding down to a 7, would definitely recommend.
A Quiet Place: Day One (2024)
The cat adoption agency is calling
I don't think that this movie was unsuccessful by any means but moderately paled in comparison to its two predecessors. The other two felt like they had a pretty solid plot whereas this one felt like it revolved around the action a bit more.
It gave us a light semblance of a storyline but it didn't feel particularly pertinent to what the action entailed and felt a tad separated. To me, it seemed more like the first half or 2/3s of what the movie should've been without a real substantial conclusion that really payed off.
With that being said, the action was cool and entertaining, The acting was quite excellent from both of the leads and what story it did have had some real heart ingrained in it. 5.5 rounding down to a 5, would recommend.
In a Violent Nature (2024)
Poor Johnny boy
I was excited for this release but was a little deterred by the not so glowing reviews. This had an interesting yet very basic foundation for a plot that seemed a bit undercooked.
What little storyline was there just felt like a vehicle for some expertly done gore and creative kills. There were some sfx and surprisingly long shots that they took place in that were quite impressive and I don't know how they were done. I don't think the production was done many favors with a lot of the acting being on the mediocre to not so great side. The Last ten minutes were pretty unnecessary with a long winded and seemingly inconsequential monologue leading to what felt like a pretty lazy and contradictory ending.
A lot of the critiques of this production were that it was far too slow, but that didn't really seem to bother me. I found it atmospheric and pretty captivating, finding myself on the edge of my seat waiting for what innovative gory kill was around the corner.
I definitely think this had some potential that it didn't quite live up to but the kills and the light intrigue within the supernatural storyline made it worth it for me. 5.5 rounding up to a 6, would recommend.
Beetlejuice Beetlejuice (2024)
Beetlejuice times two minus a plot equals...
On a superficial level playing very much of nostalgia this was a perfectly enjoyable and fun movie. Hearkening back to lots of fun references from the original with lots of cool sfx. When looked at with an analytical eye, the story here was kind of a mess though.
It felt like it was fundamentally really based off of happenstance. This just so happened to take place and then this person happened to die and this person happen to come back and it just felt a little thrown together. There were so many sub plots that started and ended quickly like the young boy, or they went absolutely nowhere like the ex-wife or the dad. It felt like a bit of a missed opportunity as far as storyline went. There also seemed to be a bit of underutilization of the character of Beetlejuice. I didn't feel like we got much from him this time around.
Otherwise, as stated, it was a fun, lighthearted time that overall felt a bit better than I was expecting. 5.5 rounding up to a 6, would recommend.
Blink Twice (2024)
Red rabbit and all his eggs
I was surprisingly impressed with this movie. It ended up being so much more than I thought it was going to be. It was engaging and uncomfortable while still retaining an air of lightheartedness... all while most importantly being entertaining and poignant.
I thought there was a lot that was clever about the way they went about this experience. So many little Easter eggs and foreshadowing throughout, that I can only imagine make the second viewing a whole different experience than the first. The unique and jumpy editing cultivated an almost discombobulated vibe, immersing you in a different way into the action. I found the story generally intriguing, although it did slow down a bit during the transitions between the three acts and certainly required some suspension of disbelief.
I thought they did a good job at balancing what imagery and subject matter was impactful and jarring opposed to gratuitous and of simple shock factor. I grow tiresome of the basic Hollywood rubric, riddled with it's one liners and crutch on comedy. I feel that this movie suffered from quite a bit of that and I found myself rolling my eyes more than once.
This wasn't perfect by any means yet still far exceeded my expectations. It felt like a fun and powerful triumph in a weird way. Looking forward to a rewatch. Would recommend.
Alien: Romulus (2024)
Action thriller in disguise
I don't know that this was quite my cup of tea. While being a horror fan, maybe this particular vein isn't quite for me because I know a lot of people really enjoyed this film. I was going into it expecting a solid horror/sci-fi, when in actuality, I feel like I got a decently mediocre action movie.
The plot was sparing and mainly prevalent at the beginning, lightly setting the stage as a vehicle for the action to come... but the storytelling fell off pretty quickly after that. It felt pretty repetitive throughout with the constant cat and mouse game being played. While I know this is the nature of the beast it still wore a bit thin for me.
While the third act was actually my favorite, by the time we got there, I found myself saying "we're doing this again??".
If you go into this expecting a Hollywood action movie full of jump scares and impressive effects... you will most certainly be pleased. Is that necessarily what I wanted to see? Not quite... but that's my own personal preference. It was entertaining enough for a movie theater viewing, but I personally would not recommend unless this is really your thing.
Hell Hole (2024)
Bun in the oven
Overall I found this to be an entertaining experience, despite some flaws. This was a fun sci-fi creature feature that enjoyably didn't take itself too seriously while retaining some creep factor and intrigue.
The Adams family are always enjoyable to watch, despite some stiff and stilted dialogue at times throughout the film. Some of the CGI and practical effects were more successful than others but I enjoyed and appreciated the concept and intention behind all of it. The acting was decent from most of the cast, with a particularly solid performance from the actor playing Danko.
I wish we could've gotten a little bit more as far as plot goes. I feel like we lightly touched on a lot of different storylines, but nothing was really delved into. Regardless, this is enjoyable for what it is... a fun cat and mouse monster flick with some cool visuals and a lighthearted vibe. 5.5 rounding up to a 6, would recommend.
The Djinn (2021)
Little guys got some chops
Unfortunately this one fell a little flat for me. I wouldn't say it was bad by any means, just underwhelming. It suffered from a slow pace and a lack of substance and action. It became very repetitive and there was not much to the story at all. This seemed like it would have been much more successful as a 30 minute short... instead it was stretched out over a feature length and simply didn't have enough to make it last.
I will say the kid did an excellent job and should be proud of his performance. I also enjoyed how creepy the Djin looked but it didn't really matter cause we saw him for all of 3 seconds. All in all, not a bad try, but it mostly felt like that... a try. I probably would not recommend but it's not awful.
Apostle (2018)
Of faith and logic
This movie ended up having most everything I look for in a solid horror flick. Compelling characters, intriguing story, some really brutal situations, a decent creep factor, some creative deaths and beautiful shots and imagery.
I could have done with some more spook and a bit more lore, yet at the same time I think this movie's biggest flaw was its run time. I would have liked more of both of those things, yet at the same time I think it would have been more successful by picking up the pace and making it a bit more concise. There were also some aspects of the story that were kind of left up in the air as well as times it edged on having a silly vibe about it, but nothing detrimental in my opinion.
I feel like for most people this would probably land around a 6 but I am partial to a folk horror. 6.5 rounding up to a 7, would recommend.
The Babysitter: Killer Queen (2020)
The blood cult is back, baby
This one, while still an entertaining experience, slightly missed the mark when it came to living up to the success of its predecessor. It felt like they took what was successful about the first one and its quirkiness and said "okay, let's amp that up".
Unfortunately, because of this it ventured into the realm of maybe a little too absurd within the universe they created, making it feel a tad silly at times. It seemed like they really tried to infuse more of a story into this one which I appreciated, even if it fell flat at times. There were also some creative and gnarly kills which were fun and still had effective performances from the majority of the cast.
Because I enjoyed the first one so much I think I am a little biased to the success of this one. As a stand alone it wasn't quite as strong, but still a fun and entertaining watch. Would recommend.
The Babysitter (2017)
Don't tell mom the babysitters crazy
Of all the horror comedies I have seen, this one is certainly one of my favorites. It has such a unique and cultivated vibe that resonates in a place of fun and nostalgia while still retaining the shock of the horror aspect.
The way this was shot and edited felt creative and different. I wouldn't say they are techniques that you have never seen before, but the way they are utilized here feels fresh. There is an engaging, albeit absurd, plot which adds to its charm. It is full of shocking gore and genuine humor.
The writing is clever and only enhanced by the cast's solid performances. The ensemble as a whole did a great job, particularly the performances from the little boy and babysitter. I could always do with some more horror and even some more lore/backstory... It was a little skimpy on that, but at the same time it didn't really matter.
This wasn't trying to be an epic, intricate adventure. It's a fun, surface level campy, gory good time. It had all of these building blocks while also being a sweet and relatable coming of age story. I think they did something really cool here and I'd love to see more movies in this vain. 7.5 rounding up to an 8, would recommend.
Achoura (2018)
Bashira and Pennywise sitting in a tree...
I surprisingly liked this movie a lot more than I thought I was going to. It was actually really fun and had some solidly spooky aspects. I would say its two biggest downfalls were its lack of originality and the CGI. While the specific subject matter is different and particular to this, this story was very reminiscent of Stephen Kings "IT". It felt different enough for me, but I can also understand people seeing it as derivative.
Also, the quality of the CGI was a bit distracting. What the CGI was actually depicting was actually great, just the quality wasn't at the same level. I really liked the creature design and thought it felt very menacing and original. Overall I found this to be an enjoyable, creepy and almost nostalgic experience. I think this movie deserves a few more flowers than it appears to receive. 6.5 rounding down to a 6, would recommend.
Tarot (2024)
Unoriginal and unremarkable
So... this move was not great. Another of the same cliche storyline we have seen time and time again... below average acting, silly plot, bad script, cliche dialogue... unoriginal and unremarkable. The spook didn't land and neither did the humor. It relied heavily on jump scares and eerie imagery.
What I will say is the look of this movie aesthetically I actually quite liked. There was some great imagery and cool effects going on here that I surprisingly enjoyed. That was probably the main redeeming aspect of this film. I wouldn't say it was offensively bad by any means... it was on the low end of watchable and was just painfully and almost lazily mediocre. 3.5 rounding up to a 4, probably wouldn't recommend.
Pamyo (2024)
Let sleeping dogs lie?
This movie is chock full. A supernatural, folklore, history lesson, Korean horror that is going to have a little something for everyone. It seemed just a tad disjointed just in that it kinda felt like two movies in one... it also wasn't far off of that with its 2hr and 14m run time. I think it could have benefited from picking up the pace a bit as it was a bit slow at times and didn't have much happen until 30 min in.
Other than that I don't have too many complaints. The story was captivating and just plainly... cool. While I do think a good amount got lost in translation as an American, that just speaks to how amazing this probably is for someone knowledgeable in the culture and language. Overall, this was entertaining and just felt generally successful. 6.5 rounding up to a 7, would recommend.
Cuckoo (2024)
Cuckoo for question marks
I was quite looking forward to seeing this one, as from what I could tell, it had an interesting concept and spooky ongoings. At the end of the day it had quite a good bit of potential, but unfortunately, didn't quite live up to that.
It started out strong with decent tension building and intrigue, but the story solidly fell off the rails. It ended up being quite a mess actually... It was somehow quite convoluted while also simultaneously giving you not too much to go off of. It was riddled with plot holes and unexplained encounters and situations. The sequence of events felt disjointed and almost nonsensical at times. It had this weird sense of an almost unfounded sci-fi tone mixed with folklore that was deficient of almost any lore at all. Its overall "mission statement" seemed a bit unidentified and misguided.
With all of that being said, it wasn't an unenjoyable experience. While I did leave the theater solidly perplexed, there were still aspects I enjoyed. The acting across-the-board was solid and the movie generally was atmospheric and spooky. While I do feel like they missed out on the opportunity to bump up the creep factor even more, the scares that were there were certainly effective. Most importantly, the story kept me engaged, regardless of whether the payoff was substantial or not.
I wanted it to like this one more than I did, but unfortunately, as the story proceeded to fall apart more and more, my score continued to decline. 5.5 rounding down to a 5, would still recommend.
Arcadian (2024)
Cage and the creatures
This one was pretty basic, but overall decently entertaining. I feel like the story was kind of undercooked and I would've loved a little bit more background into the world and the state of it. They definitely created a solid sense of mystery and tension but it only lasted so long until you were like, OK, I want to know what's going on. The acting was pretty good all around although the teenage lovebirds became a little irksome eventually.
By far the shining star in this movie was the creature concept and design. I saw some things that I had personally never seen before and was really impressed and entertained by. While this wasn't the only thing that I liked about the movie I definitely thought that it was a big saving grace and just barely pushed it over the edge. 5.5 rounding up to a 6, would recommend.
Trap (2024)
Tacky and lacking substance
I don't enjoy being overwhelmingly negative in my reviews, so I'm gonna try and keep this short and sweet. I struggled to find anything that I really enjoyed about this movie.
It wasn't thrilling, scary or even barley entertaining. The acting was so very strange and the script... the script was garbage. The characters were cliche and the story felt pretty silly and very undercooked. It certainly took backseat to what felt like a giant marketing ploy. After watching the movie I commented to my friends that it felt like the only reason this movie was made was to promote his niece's music career or something like that... come to find out that the actress was his daughter...
The whole thing just felt cheap and tacky to be honest. It also felt like it was three hours long, which isn't a great sign for a movie that was under two. I'm sure there will be some people out there that will enjoy this, but I found it difficult to pinpoint anything particularly redeeming here. A 2 feels harsh so I'm going to go with a 2.5 rounding up to a 3, but needless to say I would not recommend.
Loop Track (2023)
Loop Track Review
This one was a good time but didn't get all the way there for me. They did a great job with tension building and suspense without it being boring and the characters and acting were there for sure. It was lacking a bit in story... I know not everything needs to be spoon fed but I think there was a little too much left up in the air with this one.
Also the reveal was a little silly looking although not awful. It just generally felt a little undercooked, but the things that were successful here I thought they did a really nice job with. This is a slow burn for sure but I think overall worth it. 5.5 rounding down to a 5, would recommend.
Twisters (2024)
I don't face my fears, I ride them
Lemme tell you what, you can't take the Home out of Oklahoma and you sure can't take the corn out of cornball. At risk of sounding like a complete hater... this was one of the cheesiest, cringiest most cliché movies I've probably ever seen hahaha. The plot and characters quite literally lacked even a single ounce of originality and the script was almost enjoyably laughable (if it was even kind of self-aware in any way). The one-liners from this movie that my friends and I are still quoting to this day are gold... but maybe not in the way they intended them.
The action scenes were pretty cool and exciting but also absurd in every way. I thought the acting was surprisingly good despite the middle school 90s script they had to work with and I thought the leading man did a particularly good job.
Listen, there are inevitably going to be some people who absolutely love this movie, and all the power to them. If you like an unbearably cliché romantic action that is far too long and you can just turn your brain off for... I encourage you to see this. However, I personally would not recommend it. Sue me.
Oddity (2024)
Oddity for the win
In a sea of Longlegs, Immaculates and Strangers claiming to be the scariest movie of 2024, this is the one you should have eyes on. This movie had many aspects to it that were masterfully done that produced one of the best experiences I've had in theaters in a while.
What stuck out most to me here was the tension building. This was certainly a slow burn, but for 85% of the movie my heart was racing and my butt was on the edge of my seat. This is a prime example of how to build dread, anxiety, and tension while retaining a sense of intrigue and wonderment. The storytelling here also felt so fleshed out, unique and purposeful. It was intricate yet not overly convoluted. It also managed to really tie up all the loose ends and not leave you scratching your head (as so many horrors do) while also not having everything super obvious or spoonfed. It weirdly and enjoyably was reminiscent of a Tales from the Crypt segment or a portion of a horror anthology.
I will say that, while the spook factor here was undeniable and they didn't solely rely on jump scares, they were very prevalent here. Personally they are not my favorite but luckily a lot of them weren't cheap editing/auditory jump scares and didn't feel opportunistic. It wasn't the end of the world, but I also wasn't crazy about the aesthetic of the wooden man. I felt he looked a little silly, but still an effective player that was utilized the perfect amount/way within the story. I would've also enjoyed a little bit more diversity as far as the scenery went. I know it was the main focus, but there was a whole lot of action in the house that could've edged on a little stagnant far as locations went.
Oddity had an intriguing balance between super natural and mystery homicide, a well developed script, clever twists, beautiful and atmospheric imagery and great acting from everyone involved. It really felt like they swung for something unique here and I personally think they succeeded. You know it was a successful experience when you leave the theater with a phone full of unchecked notifications and only 1/3 of your popcorn gone. Would recommend.
The Watchers (2024)
I was never one for rule following...
I think conceptually this was a bit of a cool twist on something we have seen in the folk horror universe many times. I think it's hard to take something like this and make it feel super original and innovative and for me this one was right on the precipice.
It wasn't unsuccessful by any means but I do think it lacked just a hair more intrigue to really push it to the next level. It also felt relatively predictable as well which obviously isn't ideal. At the end of the day it kind of just fell middle of the road... although I am quite partial to folk horror so I think I probably enjoyed it a bit more than most will.
All in all, aesthetically it was quite lovely to watch, had quite the good cast with good performances all around and a decent story that kept my attention. 5.5 rounding up to a 6, would recommend.
Imaginary (2024)
Turn your brain off and just enjoy
Listen, was this a highbrow, sophisticated horror? Was it filled with superb performances from the actors? Was it wildly imaginative and creative? The answer to all of these are a resounding no... However, I still liked it a lot more than I thought I was going to.
What I really appreciated from this was what I feel like I've been lacking in a lot of horror recently... a substantial and well rounded story. Sure, quite a lot of it felt pretty unoriginal and spoonfed but I guess sometimes I appreciate just plainly being told a story.
This definitely felt juvenile throughout and maybe like it was geared towards a younger audience, yet at the same time had some legitimate scares. The opening scene caught me off guard with its spook and although the whole thing was riddled with jump scares, there were some pretty cool monster design and general creepiness throughout.
I found this a tad refreshing to be honest. It wasn't trying to be something that it wasn't... just a plain, surface level horror that you don't have to pick apart or analyze. 5.5 rounding up to a 6, would recommend.
Longlegs (2024)
Long legs and rose colored glasses
*Unpopular Opinion Alert*
Let me preface this with the fact that I enjoyed this movie. It was entertaining, moderately original, and decently spooky. However, I wish I had seen it without experiencing all the hype. I walked into the experience expecting an eight and it ended up being much more of a six for me.
I think my biggest issues with the film would be the pacing and the lack of scare factor. The movie had a relatively slow pace and I found my mind wandering at times. I think if they had just picked up the pace in action a bit more it would've been much more successful. I understand that there is something to be said for a slow burn and tension building, but that didn't really translate here for me personally. Also, while this was most certainly spooky at times, it really lacked a major scare factor for me. Most of the actual scares were jump scares produced by the editing, which I am not a fan of. It had so much potential but I just plainly didn't think it was scary. It was marketed as one of the scariest films of this decade and there was literally a man snoring behind me in the theater.
Now, with that said, what ended up actually being spooky was certainly effective. While his character and performance will inevitably be polarizing, I think Nicolas Cage did an excellent job. He was unsettling and created a persona that was uncomfortable in a way that I don't know if I have specifically experienced before. I'm not positive how I felt about the prosthetics, as they were bulky and un-lifelike, but it felt purposeful and added to the creep. I think that there was a bit of a missed opportunity when it came to his character's background and lore. I understand the concept of mystery, but we got virtually nothing on him and it seems unfortunate to not delve into that character, as he was so intriguing.
I am a huge fan of Maika Monroe. While I thought she did an excellent job in this movie, I am also slightly tired of seeing that same quintessential character... the offbeat cop with a secret who lacks social skills and is just too quirky to be understood. It's very been there done that.
A huge pet peeve of mine in cinema is when the exposition is spoonfed to me in a monologue. It's like they're saying "OK ready? You've been confused, but I'm about to just explain everything all at once" and unfortunately that happens in this movie. It just comes across as lazy and in creative. Even with the explaining story, there is still so much left up in the air when it comes to some crucial details. The ending was also fine for me. It didn't piss me off or feel like I was left hanging, but at the same time it didn't excite me.
Cinematically, I thought this movie was surprisingly beautiful with really great visuals, shots, and editing. It was atmospheric and created a vibe that felt unique. What was successful here, was indeed successful... I just feel like there were a few missed opportunities here that kept it at good and stopped it from being great. I know that most people are not going to agree with me on this and like I said, I still definitely enjoyed it... it just... wasn't ALL that. Would still definitely recommend.