gillianronnie Reviews

Relic (2020)

Another smug and pretentious slow burn "horror" (drama) that claims the metaphor is the monster. Surprised this isn't an A24 film because it's that dull and dry.

[4/10 · 10 July 2020]

Why do these awful artsy fartsy contrived dramas keep being passed as horror when they're absolutely not. Are critics just that clueless and deluded? This plays by the numbers like so many other critically hailed "horror" films of the last decade. Apparently to get great reviews you can just follow the same dry uninspired formula of symmetrical camerawork and supposed dread inducing overacting. Then add a deep metaphorical message that is just as effective as an actual visual monster because " what you can't see is scarier". No that isn't true horror. It's drama. It's just such a miserably lazy film even though Mortimer salvages it from being truly terrible.

The Platform (2019)

Heavy handed in its woke Social class study/anti-capitalism jordan peele type message, the story/visuals are interesting enough, but overall pretentious.

[6/10 · 23 March 2020]

First off I do want to say the English dubbing over the original Spanish Audio was very well done. The story as I said has an interesting concept and setting with arresting visuals and intensity. The social reflections and class undertones can get ridiculous at times and seem way too woke for my taste. There is still a solid amount of clever writing if you can look past how damn Overbearing and smug it can be. The camerawork is phenomenal and is most likely what kept my overall interest.

The Hunt (II) (2020)

Originally delayed because of outrage about the supposed controversial plot , The hunt is actually an accurate and vicious reflection of our divisive culture today.

[9/10 · 11 March 2020]

I was very pumped for this film to come out last September and thought the trailer looked absolutely bonkers in the best way but then came all of the backlash from both political sides and it was cancelled. I was very upset at this once again happening to an anticipated film or show much like the Deathwish remake and the punisher series. I still held out hope that it would be released eventually and luckily they had the guts to do so. In fact their recent media spots have only exploited the controversy of the cancellation/delay and it may work in favor of Blumhouse. For all we know this was just a smart media ploy to bring attention to the climate we are living in.

The film itself is an absolute intense wild ride full of action, brutality, and some undeniable Sociopolitical commentary that does a great job at showing just how radically extreme things can get with people's morals and beliefs on both sides of the spectrum . The violence is purely gratuitous and no holds barred. The planning is never what you expected to be an actually very well written. The conclusion is very smart and will have many people shocked and maybe even triggered but I think that's the whole point of a film like this.

The cast is very well put together with some familiar faces They all do a decent job though many don't last as you will see. Overall as I said this is a very vicious film that will be sure to divide sides but in a climate like this it works on many levels.

Bloodshot (2020)

I am not familiar with the comic but this film felt very familiar throughout as it seemed to borrow many aspects in visuals and concepts from other recent anti hero films.

[6/10 · 8 March 2020]

It works on a basic level of action spectacle, but really doesn't offer anything in the story department that we haven't come to know with these revenge anti hero films. Vin Diesel is as standard as he usually is and doesn't make the character interesting either. I'll just sum it up and say this is just a throwaway action film with some cool sequences but overall you will feel like you've seen it already.

The Invisible Man (I) (2020)

Leigh Whannell crafts a visceral thriller with a new updated take on the classic story.

[9/10 · 26 February 2020]

WHANNELL has been in my opinion one of the most underrated director /writers for a long time. He was mostly behind the insidious and saw franchises And came out with the spectacular futuristic thriller upgrade in 2018. His brilliant style is once again back with full force in this new adaptation of the invisible man. many people will just look at this like another Blum house manufactured film at first but realize that just because it has the production name on it doesn't mean it will be another throwaway film. This film much like upgrade thrives with a crisp smart script and fantastic visuals. Whannell has a keen eye for detail and it shows in bunches in this film. Elizabeth Moss also gives a phenomenally dedicated performance And sheds emotion throughout. There are many moments in this vicious film that you will not see coming and I was actually surprised by the amount of brutality which serves the overall story well. This is a new take on a classic universal monster that you will not want to miss and it's definitely worthy of going to see in the theater unlike many films of late.

Brahms: The Boy II (2020)

A middle of the road effort that is neither really a sequel or prequel but a spinoff that suffers from tropes, but overall is serviceable because of atmosphere.

[6/10 · 21 February 2020]

The first film was fairly surprising imo though many hated the twist ending. I thought it worked rather well. This new film rewrites the story with the doll quite a bit and it will work with some and won't with many. The film has an overall similar feel to the first I. Ambience and scares and even gets a bit more demented at times. The cliches are there but if you know what you're getting into it shouldn't be surprising. Overall there are some interesting moments and enough creepiness to be decent enough.

Fantasy Island (2020)

Surprisingly a very twisted and interesting take with some genuinely bizarre imagery and intensity.

[7/10 · 12 February 2020]

Most people have already written this film off because they're upset it's a loose adaptation of the old classic tv show and they feel that it should've never been made into a horror film. While it may appear like a desperate attempt at a cash grab from Blumhouse concept wise, It's actually a pretty fun horror film with some bleak subject matter. There are some very sinister sequences that I did not expect in the film and the way they adapted the fantasy aspect is rather intriguing and works fairly well. there are some moments of tropes and clichés that we've all come to be very familiar with from Blumhouse but it still has a great level of vicious intensity. The acting is pretty average overall but the visuals carry the film. Overall it's a solid outing and better than I thought it would be and if people are already hating it just because it's an adaptation of the old TV show I say give it a chance because the way they adapted the fantasy concept is kind of cool.

Birds of Prey (2020)

if you thought suicide squad was bad then avert your eyes from this absolute malarkey.

[1/10 · 5 February 2020]

Listen I thought suicide squad was absolutely a huge misfire but just wait till you lay your eyes upon this travesty. Once again we bear witness to easily one of the worst actresses around in Margot Robbie playing easily the most annoying portrayal of a comic book character once again. They somehow managed to make this into a feminist film which is not surprising and they dance on any true accuracy of being faithful to the subject matter. Ewan McGregor is maybe the one saving grace as black mask but even his character is misrepresented in this mess of a film. This will no doubt be a box office bomb and looked at is even worse than suicide squad if you can imagine that.

Gretel & Hansel (2020)

More pretentious long drawn out exposition in the vein of A24 "horror" films though mostly just Dull drama.

[5/10 · 30 January 2020]

We all know the story and this offers a very dull portrayal of the the old tale. It follows the same tired and bored formula that overrated films like The witch, hereditary, blackcoats daughter (same director). Attempts at artsy cinematography with few nonsensical shocking visuals spread throughout to be able to call it horror i guess. The main actress Sophia Lillis is fine and brings some actual talent to the overall film and there are some nice shots of the forest but this is just another failed attempt at thought provoking horror that just feels like it's trying to be an A24 smug film.

Underwater (2020)

A solid new age take on deep sea creature horror with Some outstanding visuals and genuine tension.

[8/10 · 8 January 2020]

I've seen a lot of comments complaining about Kristen Stewart but honestly she is nowhere as bad as people say. In fact she's actually very good in this film to match a fast pace claustrophobic story influenced by Leviathan/Alien/others. While there are cliche moments throughout there are enough thrills and turns within the plot to keep your interest. The best part is the creature though which is actually very vicious and intimidating with a very intriguing origin. The cgi utilized is very well executed as well which these days can be up in the air in films. Overall it's a welcome addition to the deep sea horror genre.

The Grudge (2019)

Ignore the Idiot elitists that haven't even seen it giving this a 1-3 out of spite that it's a remake of a remake. It's solid and better than any Other Grudge films.

[7/10 · 3 January 2020]

It's like people live to hate and not give anything a chance these days. I went in with an open mind and actually enjoyed the new story that they brought to us in this updated version. There are some moments of cliché jump scares but for the most part everything is fairly effective and the atmosphere is palpable. It doesn't deserve nearly the amount of stupid hate it's getting from people that haven't even seen the film.

The Grudge (2019)

A rehash of a rehash that surprisingly holds attention, as well as bring some new scares.

[7/10 · 1 January 2020]

Most people have already written this off because of remake withdrawal and the stereotype that January films can't possibly be good (which is not true at all). I actually found it pretty well executed for what they were going for and far better than the 2000s remake. Some cliche moments here and there but overall crisply tense with a nice new twist in the story. If you really have to satisfy an itch for a horror film, you can do a lot worse than this.