stellafoster Reviews

Maybe I Do (2023)

Loved them in Holidate, but not in this

[2/10 · 19 May 2023]

The 2 younger leads had chemistry together in The Holidate, but zero in this unfortunately. I find it really odd that they would be paired in another romcom but it's not a sequel to that film. Makes it a strange watch because I can only see them as their previous characters. It's odd that no other reviewers even mention that film.

That aside, this film is sooo boring! It's mostly about the older cast which is good because they're all big names, but none of them have chemistry either. It makes for a flat, dull film. Even they look bored. I really don't know what this film was meant to be about. It certainly isn't a romance or a comedy or a drama or a thriller.

Very strange movie! Turn this off and watch The Holidate instead. It's good.

The Pope's Exorcist (2023)

No twists but watchable!

[6/10 · 13 May 2023]

I'm not a fan of exorcist movies because they're all the same, but I enjoyed this.

I enjoyed the humourous priest, Russell Crowe played it well, his Italian accent was very good, the location/setting was good, I only got bored for about 10 minutes in the middle.

What I disliked was the teen girl was half naked all the way through. Really? Still? It's 2023! If you need to rely on a half naked teen girl to get bums in seats, you have no confidence in your movie. I didn't find little Henry very convincing unfortunately. I could see the acting. Also, there was a perfect set up for the younger priest to be a baddie (I haven't confessed in 8 months wink wink), but they didn't go with it. Very disappointing. And they could've ended it with the demon having fooled Russell Crowe into getting him into the vatican - which is where I thought it would end - but they didn't do it. They ended the film with a weird opportunity for a TV series to begin instead. It was a little bizarre. Maybe just me?!

Anyway, give it a go, it's better than other exorcist movies!

Bones and All (2022)

Much better than the synopsis

[8/10 · 12 February 2023]

I almost didn't watch this because it sounds like a romance/love story. It's not. Try the first ten minutes. Watch what happens at the sleepover. Most people will want to keep watching after that very surprising plot twist!

My husband and I really enjoyed this film. It was different to anything we've watched and unpredictable. No mean feat at our (middle) age given how many films we've watched.

Give it a chance but stop reading any more reviews until you've watched the film. Spoilers will literally ruin it for you!

Oh, I've not written enough to be able to submit my review. What about now? Y.

The Pale Blue Eye (2022)

Terrible terrible American accents!

[3/10 · 12 February 2023]

I don't understand how not one person has mentioned the terrible American accents by the British actors!!!! (Calm down, I'm British.) None of the male British actors could do an American accent, plus they kept flip flopping between the two. It was so distracting that it ruined the entire film for me. Am i really alone in this? Don't viewers want realism? How can these actors listen to themselves back without cringing?

I'll never understand why directors cast wrong actors in the role. I wanted to be transported to New York in this film. Instead I ended up in some strange part of England, with all the same old faces. Stop casting the same people in everything! There are literally thousands of actors out there and most of them could have brought this film to life better than this lot.

On the plus side Bale is always good, but even he couldn't master or stay in the accent.

Am I really the only person in the world who this annoys?! Anyway, sorry. Just so sick of skewed 10-star reviews claiming "amazing acting" just because it's got their favourite actor in!

The Batman (2022)

Very odd film

[2/10 · 18 April 2022]

Not really a superhero movie, more of a crime drama (not even a crime thriller because there are no thrills), but with no crime. There's so little storyline that it's filled with looong scenes of exposition instead telling us what happened off screen years before. So there's no mystery to be solved or race against time to save anyone, which leaves no reason to watch.

Pattinson as batman played it very restrained to the point of boring.

The Riddler was so lame that he was no threat to anyone. His scenes were pretty embarrassing to watch, like a child pretending to be bad, but I think that's because of his lame script.

Catwoman was completely redundant and could have been easily cut from the movie with no consequence.

Andy circus as Alfred was truly awful. There was no chemistry at all between him and batman. It felt like all their scenes together must've been cut.

As everyone else notes, the film is also too long because we're not waiting for answers due to there being no crimes to solve.

Very odd film. Needs a complete re-edit and a decent plot adding.

The Deep House (2021)

Terrible acting

[1/10 · 30 October 2021]

Really shockingly bad acting from the lead man, especially the deeper into the film it got. I don't know how they didn't recast him. Cost, I guess. As other reviewers stated - good concept, awful awful awful ending!

Paranormal Activity: Next of Kin (2021)

Watchable but not a PA film

[5/10 · 29 October 2021]

I love the PA franchise because they were original back in the day, and they scared the bejesus out of me. The third movie is my favourite. That rotating fan in the kitchen!!!!

This film kept my attention all the way through, the acting was solid, the location spooky and... That's all. Unfortunately the plot was weak and there were some unexplained plot holes. But the most disappointing part was the fact that it bears no relation at all to any other film in the franchise AND there is absolutely no paranormal activity in it! I was so disappointed at that.

I will definitely watch any more films they make, but with a hope they return to including paranormal activity.

It's still a decent horror film for Halloween so give it a try because, let's face it, there aren't many new horror films being released anymore.

Midnight Mass (2021)

Good and bad parts

[5/10 · 30 September 2021]

There's a lot wrong with this series, but also a lot right with it. The right: the accurate portrayal of the hypocrisy of religion in all its forms. Priest got a girl pregnant. Fanatical Christian followers. How they put God before humans. I could go on.

The woman from the x files was good in it, and the woman who played Bev accurately portrayed the nutters who try to convert you to their religion.

The bad: soooooooo many monologues. Some episodes are just monologues and none of these long rambling speeches mean anything or move the episode along. I started skipping them from episode 3 onwards so that didn't leave much actual content left to watch.

The bloke who played Riley, aka the main protagonist, was so bland that when he died I didn't care one bit.

The woman who was in hill house has no acting abilities.

This series had too much filler. It could've easily been just 4 episodes long.

Having said all that I did watch until the end because I'm a happy atheist, but if you're religious, you'll hate it!

Separation (I) (2021)

Trust the bad reviews

[2/10 · 1 July 2021]

So I started by reading the reviews, which say this is full of the usual tropes. They weren't kidding!

Scary dolls sitting around a child's tea set, Bird tapping against the window, Child playing in a dark attic, Whispering child, Family portraits, Clowns, Scary drawings, Dead mom, Neglectful father, hurt child, Puppets, Funeral, Interior CCTV cameras to capture paranormal activity.

You name it, this film's got it. But I don't mind that in horror! It didn't put me off at all. What put me off was the god-awful acting from every single cast member, the lack of plot, the sub standard editing, the terrible cg on the subway journeys and the predictable ending. I watched the whole thing because its been a slow Thursday and I have nothing better to do, but it took a bottle of wine to get me through it.

Give it a go to see if I'm right!

Positives - the start credits were unique. In fact, I'm pretty sure that's where all the money went.

I'm Your Woman (2020)

Really good - ignore first 5 mins

[8/10 · 17 June 2021]

Yes the baby cries but nowhere near half the film. It's called character development and anyone who has patience will know it will change. This is one of the best films I've seen this year. All the actors are great and it's unpredictable. Give it a chance. Last third is much more action packed and satisfying because of what we went through in the beginning of the film.

Mary (I) (2019)

Terrible acting...

[1/10 · 16 May 2021]

... From Gary and Emily. Why cast notoriously British actors as Americans? They didn't even make an effort with the American accent. Emily is quintessentially British in every way and so was wrongly cast in this. Loved her in Newsroom. Also, sexualising the teenage girl was sick. Every opportunity the director got, they were filming her half naked body. We need to stop accepting this, especially since the famous producer who was recently jailed. The story was lame, predictable and badly cast. Believe the overall 4.4 rating.

Things Heard & Seen (2021)

I'm stunned by the terrible ending

[1/10 · 15 May 2021]

This is 2 hours of mess. Please, Hollywood, stop casting anorexic actresses. The girl from stranger things looks so ill it's all you can think about as you watch. And Amanda Seyfried also looks sick. I hope they seek help and in the meantime Hollywood should stop glamorising the terrible disease by trying to pass it off as normal to impressionable viewers. I'm sorry but I have to be honest. I really hope they get better. The film was very strange with a cringe worthy ending.

The Virtuoso (2021)

Not terrible

[5/10 · 3 May 2021]

The lead actor was pretty but bland and not much actually happens but this isn't the worst film I've watched this year. Give it time and watch it on a slow Sunday afternoon. It's better than watching TV when there's nothing really on. It's a shame the director talked Abby into getting her boobs out because it was unnecessary. Her script was awful too but it's better than not working at all so I understand why she agreed to it. Yes, it's a predictable plot but overall it passed a couple of hours and I don't regret watching it but I wouldn't watch it again. Sorry, I'm on the wine so not too coherent right now. Enjoy!

Crime Scene: The Vanishing at the Cecil Hotel (2021)

Netflix have failed with this one

[1/10 · 12 February 2021]

I enjoyed the history of the hotel in ep 1. Ep 2 dragged with repetitions of info from ep 1 and an annoying British couple telling us step by step how they got from the UK to LA (calm down, I'm British too), ep 3 was given over to youtube/armchair sleuths/conspiracy theorists. When ep 4 started by trying to blame a death metal rocker I had to switch it off. This is the longest dragged out crime documentary I've ever watched and I'm genuinely disappointed Netflix would get it so wrong. No new information or interviews here, folks. RIP Elisa Lam. She was so obviously murdered.

Soaked in Bleach (2015)

It's official: Kurt was murdered

[10/10 · 5 February 2021]

This confirms it for me. Courtney had Kurt murdered. The fact she has got away it for so long is galling. Tom Grant has tapes proving it. Kurt had his problems but he wasn't suicidal and he had so much more to do but she was his downfall. I can't listen to his music anymore thanks to her. Probably best I don't anyway because she gets all his royalties. God I miss the early nineties.

The Undoing (2020)

Unwatchable due to Nicole's plastic surgery

[1/10 · 8 January 2021]

I'm sorry but anyone who says this was good obviously doesn't watch much TV. Nicole Kidman's fillers, botox, lip balloons, wig and veneers are so off-putting and distracting that we couldn't get past episode 2. She looked like a strange monster whenever she tried to convey emotion. Why would a director hire any actor who is unable to resemble a human being? Watching that is not enjoyable for the viewer. Now, onto the show: bad acting by the aforementioned and Hugh Grant. Did you see him try to cry in ep1?? The killer is so obvious I can't believe there were no twists to make it less so. Thank god for spoiler reviews because it meant I didn't have to watch the whole series. If you're a Kidman fan you'll love this.

Grease (1978)

Uplifting classic

[10/10 · 26 December 2020]

Uplifting classic that makes you want to sing along even when you hate musicals. My recent Xmas 2020 rewatch made me smile and forget covid for once. Go on, put it on!

The Midnight Sky (2020)

Literally nothing happens

[1/10 · 26 December 2020]

Contains all the usual space clichés but with no storyline to hold them together. And none of the actors stood out, they were all throwaway, immediately forgettable characters just phoning it in. Very disappointing. I still don't understand what it was meant to be about! Crazy how money gets wasted on films like this when there are so many great TV shows being cancelled due to lack of funds.

The Family Man (2000)

The best Christmas film

[10/10 · 13 December 2020]

Nicholas Cage plays this perfectly, so do the rest of the cast. My favourite Christmas film.

The Meg (2018)

Terrible acting but...

[3/10 · 21 November 2020]

Great cg. You can see where the money went. If they paid Statham for his role they should demand a refund. That "accent"! Rubbish first half, entertaining second half. (I saw it in 3D at the cinema so I was perhaps more entertained than those of you watching it on your TVs.)

The Woman in Black (1989 TV Movie)

Actually scary!

[9/10 · 21 November 2020]

I don't normally watch many older films/TV shows because I find them depressing (even though I'm in my forties), but my husband talked me into watching this and I'm glad I did. The lead actor was compelling, the haunted house was atmospheric and the glimpses of the woman in black were scarier than I expected as someone who has watched a hell of a lot of horror films. And when she comes for him that last time! I wasn't expecting that! Just shows what you can create on a low budget and with no cg. Maybe if Hollywood stopped throwing money at the same overrated movie stars in every movie they could make films like this instead. A quiet, compelling and atmospheric version of Susan Hill's novella. Much better than the remake and the book.

Last Christmas (2019)

Trailer was misleading

[4/10 · 21 November 2020]

Loved Emelia Clarke in GoT and she was the one saving grace in this film but even she couldn't keep my interest. The trailer sold it as a funny Christmas film, however it wasn't funny or Christmassy. It was a bit depressing tbh and not the lighthearted film I was expecting. Yes, she worked in a toy shop, but that was the only hint of Christmas. The George Michael soundtrack was wearing. Yes he recorded some great tunes but I can only assume his family were sponsoring the movie for the amount of songs they used in this. Emma Thompson's terrible acting as someone from Yugoslavia was cringe. And why bring the depressing repercussions of brexit into what was being sold as a comedy? Overall I felt this was a very strange film that can't decide what it wants to be. Disappointing, as I enjoy Christmas movies and there aren't enough new ones to watch these days.

The Vanished (2020)

The bad acting shouldn't be overlooked

[1/10 · 13 November 2020]

I read the reviews, so I kept watching beyond the terrible first hour. But the payoff wasn't worth sitting through Ann Heche's terrible acting. This film was badly edited, acted and directed. And it's too long. And they kill a dog for no reason whatsoever. Yes, there's a twist but anyone who reads or watches psychological thrillers will see it coming.

The Lie (2018)

Not a horror film

[6/10 · 30 October 2020]

I was expecting this to be a horror based on it being a Blumhouse production and released at Halloween. However, it was instead a passable crime suspense with a good twist that made me feel stupid for not guessing it sooner. A frustrating watch based on the strange decisions the parents made but still watchable nevertheless.

Holidate (2020)

Coronavirus has broken me

[7/10 · 29 October 2020]

It's official; this pandemic has broken me because not only did I choose to watch this romcom. I... enjoyed it. I'm a horror and crime fan so I can't understand what's going on. This film is funny after a while and the 2 leads definitely have chemistry. I actually (jeeze I can't believe I'm going to say this) wanted them to get together. Of course, it could be that I'm trying out gin properly for the first time in my life, which I also normally hate, so I've added a mix of other booze to make it drinkable. So, overall; a funny, feelgood film to watch during a pandemic. If you're drunk and expecting to die soon. Cheers!