anissa-taylor Reviews

Eminem: Count Me In (2023)

It's... Fine.

[5/10 · 6 March 2024]

This is a reasonable documentary, nothing revolutionary. It doesn't contain anything fans don't know. The editing isn't great, frequently they leave the narrators mistakes and/ or restarts in which is annoying and should have been picked up.

All in all there's a lot of "allegedly", a psychologist giving his repetitive thoughts on why Eminem did what he did and how he felt, and basically one interview Eminem did decades ago interspersed with stock images and footage when the (random) interviewed "specialists" aren't talking about eminems music and life.

It's basically a fan film, and is fine to kill some time if you're bored, but isn't ground breaking.

The Farm (I) (2018)

Vegan Propaganda

[1/10 · 24 March 2023]

If you have ever had someone tell you horror stories about the treatment of animals on farms, furnishing said animals with human understanding & feeling, then you don't need to watch this film.

A feature length Meat is Murder advert, it takes every cliche about farming and jams it into a frankly boring horror film with zero horror. Attempted shock factor not withstanding. The fact that all the bad guys wear animal masks as they go about their business is completely on the nose. The characters are awful, and I couldn't even muster an ounce of sympathy for them.

Not even slightly recommended, and frankly it should never have been made.

He's Watching (2022)

Arthouse found footage horror?

[2/10 · 24 March 2023]

I'm not a huge found footage fan, generally because of the premise leading to the filming. This one seemed promising, kids making a video diary for sick parents in hospital. Initially it wasn't bad, but about half way through there's an art house fever dream & nothing is really right from there. It 90% abandons the found footage idea, making it disjointed and illogical, with a weak semi explanation. It throws random ideas at the wall & includes what sticks, even if it doesn't make sense. It does try to explain things but even the explanation is weak & illogical. Like grasping at straws because they needed an ending.

Don't even get me started on the other, background story, which frankly wasn't utilised the way it could have been. It was there for... Drama? To throw us off? I don't know.

This script needed a few more goes over by an editor to make it cohesive & picking a genre to stick with would have helped a lot.

Disappointing all round.

Don't Click (2020)

Such a Waste

[1/10 · 22 December 2020]

The premise had potential. Unfortunately between rubbish writing, questionable creative decisions, poor flow and some less than stellar acting, this film was a complete waste of everyone's effort. They really tried to make it creepy, but it wasn't, and the pace was just too slow for anything to really click. Don't bother, honestly. Such a boring film.

Bad Ben (2016 TV Movie)

A Breath of Fresh Air in Found Footage.

[5/10 · 17 July 2017]

I hate found footage films as a rule of thumb, and if I review them it's either because they really suck or because I actually didn't mind them. This film falls into the latter category.

I went into this film not knowing it was a solo film and a first venture, it was available on Prime and I was bored. I only found out the rest after, which made me extra impressed!

This film is simple, the effects are (generally, there is one that stands out rather negatively, you'll know it when you see it) are subtle and pretty well done. The reason for all of the cameras is pretty solid, and it's not one of those over the top "And then I was PINNED IN THE CEILING BY AN UNSEEN FORCE!" type of things. It's refreshing in it's simplicity.

While I wouldn't call it believable, the vast majority of this film feels more realistic than others of the genre and that's a nice touch. Although a bit more knowledge on the occult might have helped.

Not perfect, not very scary, but still much better than a lot of found footage films of late.

The Thread (I) (2015)

An Interesting Look at the changes in News Consumption.

[7/10 · 26 December 2016]

This documentary shows the way in which we consume, and share, news in a generation where social media & 24 hour reporting from masses of different sources online flood us with fact and fiction in news online. It shows the relationship between mainstream media vs places like Buzzfeed & Reddit, and how that relationship and our relationship with those sources, can be both beneficial and damaging.

We look at the way that both of the mainly shown (Buzzfeed and Reddit) alternative news sources can collate information from lots of different areas and mainstream news outlets to give a well rounded and more inclusive picture of what's happening, but it also shows the trouble with self moderating news sources, and how the attempt to help can spiral into something darker and more insidious, particularly when theories online are taken and run with by mainstream news media.

It is, all told, an interesting look at the changing face of news consumption, and the way in which we as individuals can impact the news and help or hinder investigations.

Barry (II) (2016)

This is not the "Barry" we know.

[7/10 · 16 December 2016]

To counter the only other "review" which is, in fact, a political complaint about the Obama administration and implies that the author had not actually watched the film at all, I am writing this.

This is an interesting look at the life of "Barry", who isn't a politician and has no interest in politics at all. It looks at conflict, race, trying to fit into two worlds and not feeling like you belong in either... It's about learning who you are in a world that isn't sure where it thinks you belong. It was a wonderfully interesting peek into a time that helped to shape the man who would go on to be the leader of the free world.

A very good watch if you can manage to set your political affiliations aside for long enough to actually watch it.

36 Saints (2013)

Well... That was... A thing that exists.

[2/10 · 26 December 2014]

It should say a lot about this film that I fell asleep watching it and had to find my place when I woke up to finish it. It's really very, very dull.

There are a lot of things about this film that bother me, and I shall list them here:

There are in the entire world 36 saints to save and protect humanity... And all of them either go to The Academy of the Royals or live in the neighbourhood. Seriously. Of the 36 Saints 27 of them die in a plane crash before the film even starts. Leaving nine. And they're friends mainly and in the same club, bar the cop. The cop is also a Saint. Because of course.

The religious aspect and how Saintly these kids (adults? IDK they're at school but also out drinking at a club so...) are is treated ham fistedly. They forget you have to show, not tell, so they just keep telling you how magnificently good these people are. It's also full of things like "Club Deity" as another ham fisted attempt to remind you that THIS FILM IS ABOUT RELIGION in case you forgot at any point. Also humanitarianism.

How old are these kids? Seriously. They're wearing uniforms and going to what looks like a religious school, but they're going to nightclubs and drinking? And they don't LOOK eighteen.

The acting is terrible, either over or under acted to the point that it's unbearable. The script is abhorrent. The effects are so-so. The costumes are either fine or something out of a music video for a poor goth band. There isn't much redeeming in this at all. Oh, and if you're shocked by the "twist" then you need some help, that was obvious a mile off.

Pass it, just seriously, pass it by.

Don't Blink (2014)

Not the worst thing I've watched of Late.

[6/10 · 26 December 2014]

All things considered this isn't a bad film, the acting is good, sets and locations are stunning, cinematography is brilliant and the script has some legitimately hilarious lines in it that will have you (if you're like me) barking out a laugh. The pace is steady, and it's not too complicated or cluttered with superfluous bits and pieces thrown in to bulk it up. I also like the way (however predictable some may be) that they had people disappearing. It was clever, good camera and effects work, subtle and understated but still impressive.

Now to the negative... Despite the build of tension and the myriad of questions the films raises, don't hold out much hope for any answers. You won't get any. Maybe this was a deliberate effort because they're intending a sequel (I would be more than happy to watch that, and I don't often vote for sequels) or maybe this is a Nolan-esque leaving it to your imagination ending. Whatever the answer, it's a rather frustrating to come away empty handed. If this is left open ended in this way for a sequel don't fret, it's not one of those obvious "And we are clearly setting this up for the sequel TAKE THAT SUCKERS!" type deals. Much more subtle than that.

All in all I have to say it was a pretty good film that held my attention in a way a lot of films of late fail to do, and I'd recommend watching it if you're bored or the idea the films posits interests you. But don't get as mad as some reviewers on here if it's not a 10/10 masterpiece of cinema gold. It is what it is, don't expect the most breathtaking piece of cinema known to man that answers all of the questions you have about life, death and why we're here.