Where's Rose (2021)

After watching Aurora in concert last night, I needed something to quiet my mind. After some searching I settled on this one that I thought was going to deal with possession or something darker. What I found was a snoozer in this 2021 thriller Where’s Rose. 

Plot: When a little girl is found after going missing, only her older brother recognizes the evil force that has returned in her place.

OK, I will admit it right off the bat that this one is rough. The acting is uneven, the storyline adequate, the characters are unlikeable and the visuals are nothing special. I understand that this is a lower budgeted film, but honestly it lacks the attempt at creativity to let me give it a pass. The ending attempts to save it, but too much damage was done early on to allow that to happen. In the end, there was no real horror in this one and it was quite blah. I wouldn’t recommend it unless there were no other options. Even then, there is Tik Tok.

Scream of the Blind Dead (2021)

It's been a long week and I seem to have come down with a small cold.  Hopefully,  the preemptive strike with medicine helps keep it at bay.  While trying to keep myself from overdoing it yesterday,  I decided to kick back and watch some horror.  That's when I stumbled upon the 2021 short,  Scream of the Blind Dead.

Plot: Virginia wanders a deserted, haunted landscape and wakes up the ghost of an ancient and bloodthirsty blind female knight. As the wraith relentlessly pursues her prey, the truth about Virginia's dark past is revealed.

Growing up I loved the Blind Dead series.  It was fun to watch and always interesting.  This short that paid homage to that classic series was also fun to watch.  Taking a surrealistic approach to the storyline, this one uses tremendous visuals,  a haunting score,  and a heavy atmosphere to create something different and entertaining.  Yes,  the lack of dialog will turn some viewers off, but it shouldn't. This was a fun flick and one that should be seen. Check it out. 

Willy's Wonderland (2021)

This will be my last day in Pennsylvania on this trip and Timothy's I'll be back in a more favorable climate. Waking to 4 inches of snow and single digit temperatures are really not my cup of tea.  I did stay in most of the day and decided to watch this 2021 flick, Willy's Wonderland.

Plot: When his car breaks down, a quiet loner agrees to clean an abandoned family fun center in exchange for repairs. He soon finds himself waging war against possessed animatronic mascots while trapped inside Willy's Wonderland.

What else could horror and B-Movie fans ask for but a crazy almost unhinged performance by Nicolas Cage? Not much,  right.  This is that movie.  Cage plays the character perfectly,  and the performance makes the movie.  While there is no real scare factor,  the fight scenes with the possessed animatronics are B-Movie gold. The storyline is fun,  the characters are OK,  and the effects are pretty good.  Yes,  this one is mindless and lacks any type of scare,  but that fits nothing to really bring the movie down, it is a fun trip into a strange world. Give it a shot. 

Malignant (2021)

I was searching for something different and was getting frustrated.  That was when someone recommended the 2021 flick Malignant.

Plot: Paralyzed by fear from shocking visions, a woman's torment worsens as she discovers her waking dreams are terrifying realities.

This one was so much better than I thought it would be. I mean,  I can't count the number of times I passed this one by.  But, shame on me.  This movie has everything that a horror fan could like,  an interesting story,  a crazy killer,  and some solid kills and effects. Yes,  the movie may have run a tad long and there were a few elements the made little sense,  but,  overall this was a well thought out and enjoyable watch with since amazing imagery. It's not perfect, but it is a great choice if you're searching for something on Netflix.

TMZ Presents: UFOs The Pentagon Proof (2021)

Next week at this time,  I'll be prepping for my UFO event with Enigma Labs at the ocean front. I'm stoked.  Ever since my first sighting in the 70s as I child,  I have known that UFOs exist.  While I have no idea what they are and have changed opinions over time,  I know they exist.  A fact that I am excited to see take on a mainstream life ìn this crazy 2023. Hopefully,  more information confines to trickle out.  Being in that mood,  I decided to watch TMZs show, TMZ Tresents: UFOs The Pentagon Proof (2021).

Plot: Analyzing the U.S. government's official response to UFO conversations from an investigative standpoint; interviews with key players; new footage of UFOs from the deck of a USS naval ship.

I am not a huge fan of TMZ, but I will admit that they do a great job at providing some solid information and in their investigation shows,  they make it worth watching.  This one is the same,  detailing the available information on this polarizing topic.  From 2021, this documentary dives into the Pentagon and the half-assed way they documented these important sightings as well as the way they worked to cover it up.  With some of the interviews, they pointed out facts that are easily verifiable to any one that wants to dive info these reports for themselves.  Shot with a myriad of interviews, they talk with both witnesses, experts,  and government representatives that all point out different information on the topic.  Thus,  giving different perspectives.  What I really appriciated was the fact that they covered the topic without an agenda, and allowed the different people they were talking to present their story without an agenda. The different members of TMZ asked pointed but not leading questions,  allowing them to answer open and honestly.  In the end,  this was both informative and entertaining. If you haven't watched it,  check it out. 

The Exorcism of God (2021)

For some reason,  exorcism or religious horror has become somewhat of a staple on my television lately,  Although, that may be changing as I finally picked up a copy of Diablo IV. I am a huge Diablo fan and am excited to venture back into Sanctuary. But, before I start that journey,  I wanted to hit on the latest movie I watched 2021s The Exorcism of God.

Plot: Peter Williams is an American priest in Mexico who's considered a saint by many local parishioners. However, due to a botched exorcism, he carries a dark secret that's eating him alive until he gets an opportunity to face his own demon one last time.

This one was a lot better than I expected it to be when I pulled it up. For a lower budgeted exorcism flick,  this one offered a somewhat original take featuring some dark n and heavy atmosphere, an intriguing storyline,  solid performances,  and some outstanding cinematography. It even threw in some jump scares and surprises, which was a nice change of pace. Unfortunately, the editing was kind of choppy and the effects were somewhat uneven. But, because of the lower budget, those factors are easily overlooked. If you are like me, and love exorcism themed films, then this is one that you should definitely check out.

Spiral (3021)

It was such a dreary day outside,  as the rain came down almost all day.  Unfortunately,  there are no signs of it letting up for a few days.  All was not lost though,  as I was able to get a few more tubs sorted in the toy area and watch a few entertaining movies.  Some were new and others I haven't watched in some time,  like the 2021 entry Spiral.

Plot: A criminal mastermind unleashes a twisted form of justice in Spiral, the terrifying new chapter from the book of Saw.

I am a huge fan of the Saw franchise and I unapologetically love every installment,  including this one. With that in mind, this was not my favorite installment. There were some very good moments in this one although it was pretty predictable. The characters were interesting, the idea of a new storyline branching off from the mythos was a nice change, and the nods to the orhiginals speinkled im a solid touch. Unfortunately, i felt the film was a touch flat, with uneven acting, a predictable twist, and an overall feeling that there was more there to be developed. In the end, I'm sure this will be (or was) a polarizing flick with opinions all over the place. I am biased and I loved it, but I also needed some Saw in my life. Not the best, but not the worst of the franchise, I'd say it sits in the middle. 

The Black Phone (2021)

Wow,  it's been a few weeks since I added anything. I know I said I was going to post more,  and intend to.  But as i continue my recovery recovery from the liver transplant,  I find myself busy with many of the things that I neglected while being on the wait list. Hopefully, I can get into some food of regular routine.  Getting back to it, I present 2021s The Black Phone,

Plot: After being abducted by a child killer and locked in a soundproof basement, a 13-year-old boy starts receiving calls on a disconnected phone from the killer's previous victims.

Thus is one i waited to see instead of going to the theater and i may be regretting that. This one is both emtertaing and enjoyable, but i do think the overall claustrophobic feel would have hit harder on the big screen. Ethan Hawke is amazing and does a magnificent job at embracing the character, but even his performance may have been outdone by his young co-stars, More of a thriller than horror film, this slow burn entry demonstrates what can be done with a solid storyline.  Dark and atmospheric, there are a lot of moments that drag you in and make you want more,  especially as the creepiness seems to rise throughout the film. Yes,  the movie does lack a complete backs story and the pacing does feel choppy at some points, but those are just some very minor, almost nitpicking, flaws.  In the end,  this was definitely one of the fest movies I have watched in some time and a movie that should be watched. Check it out!

Horror in the High Desert (2021)

Monday's are usually a day that I try to get caught up on stuff from the weekend,  especially with shipping items from weekend sales and planning out listings for the week.  Yesterday was much of the same, except for the traffic early in the day.  When I finally settled down,  I decided to check out 2021s Horror in the High Desert. 

Plot: Friends and loved ones gather to recall the events leading to an experienced outdoor enthusiast's disappearance in northern Nevada.

I will admit,  when I saw this one I thought it was a documentary and didn't realize that it was a found footage/mockumentary. In fact,  it felt that way until the last segment of the movie.  Based on a true story,  the scripting and performances were extremities believable and did really well.  Sure the first hour was slow,  but the ending sequence definitely picked up the pace. Overall, this movie was a great example of low budget indie filmmaking complete with a believable atmosphere, an intriguing story, and great character development.  If you like found footage/mockumentary style movies, check this one out.

The Deep House (2021)

Before binging the entire season of The Watcher last night, I did take some time to catch a movie. For me, this recovery from surgery does limit what I do because I seem to run out of energy rather quickly. Unfortunately, this means a lot of downtime and thus, a lot of movies and television. My selection for yesterday was 2021s The Deep House.

Plot: While diving in a remote French lake, two YouTubers who specialize in underwater exploration videos discover a house submerged in deep waters. Their dive turns into a nightmare when they discover the house was the scene of atrocious crimes.

This was a movie the I definitely liked the premise and atmosphere. The dark almost claustrophobic feel was definitely appealing. Unfortunately, while that was impressive, the movie lost something with the uneven storyline that seemed to drift between multiple ideas of what was transpiring with the characters. Couple that with the choppy dialog and things never built to the level that could have been achieved with a better backbone. In the end, this was an interesting film that does boast originality, unfortunately, it never reaches its potential. Good for a one-time watch.

There's Someone Inside Your House (2021)

The weather has been so dreary the past few days making me want to do next to nothing. Because of this blah feeling, I have had time to watch some movies. One that I picked yesterday was the 2021 entry, There's Someone Inside Your House.

Plot: After moving to live with her grandmother in Hawaii, a teenager must confront her past after fellow students at her school are murdered.

While it one started with some promise and interesting ideas,  it quickly disintegrates into another in the long line of Scream wannabes. Unfortunately,  this one doesn't come close to matching that classic on any level.  There are some decent moments, as the cast does a good job with some solid performances and the cinematography makes it easy to watch, but those suffer from an overall lack of pacing that drags the film down. Plus,  the film never builds on the interesting seeds planted early in the film and those elements disappear into the boredom. In the end, this one isn't terrible, but it's nothing to write home about either. Stay away unless you absolutely love this genre.