The Basement

MY RATING: 5

GENERAL INFORMATION

Release Info:  14 Sept 2018

Genre: Horror
Writers/Directors: Brian M. Conley and Nathan Ives
Running Time: 1 Hour and 30 Minutes

Staring: Jackson Davis, Cayleb Long and Mischa Barton

Rating? TV-MA

SPOILERS? YES

STORYLINE

A seemingly innocent man is abducted by a notorious Los Angeles serial killer who forces his victims to role-play with him so that he can enact his capture, torture and murder fantasies.  

MY REVIEW

This was a suggestion for me from Netflix. The premise sounded interesting and it had a 4.6 on IMDb. It could be that I was a bit distracted while watching by the cutest little half-munchkin kitten Dexter Morgan but I actually thought this was just okay, nothing less, nothing more. It has flaws but its interesting. Should you see it on Netflilx? Well... I wouldn't say that you should, but if you do, please don't do it beccause I suggested. Let's review, shall we?

What I DID LIKE about this movie:


SPOILERS AHEAD!

• Acting was actually pretty good for a sub-B level movie.  Mischa Barton is not the greatest actress in the world, but i thought she did good with what she had. She was a lifeless, almost like she was playing the role like she thought Kristen Stewart would play her.
• Torture porn adjacent. It was ALMOST a good torture movie, if they would have shown a little more of the gore.. and who loves gore? That's right, THIS GIRL!
• Jackson Davis does a pretty amazing job as the Gemini Killer. Multiple personalities aside, it was a cool twist. I mean, again, the name of the guy alone told us what to expect but

What I DID NOT LIKE about this movie:

• WRITING. The story was unique albeit overdone. The "Gemini" killer is kidnapping and torturing people in the San Fernando Valley, CA. Right there, right off the bat was the plot all summed up in the name of the killer. Gemini (Jackson Davis). Obviously a twin. Famous musician (Cayleb Long) is kidnapped and his wife (Mischa Barton) and her friend are at the house waiting.. it becomes painfully obvious that the wife is the twin and she knows that her hubby is f-ing the friend and she's gotten her brother, the Gemini killer to off her cheating man. This was not subtext at all. Handed to the viewer on a silver platter. So much predictability that it was actually a bit boring.
• English Accent- Come ON! Invent in some acting classes or get a real Englishman!

There's just not that much more to say. It was not good and not bad. 

Perfection

MY RATING: 8

GENERAL INFORMATION

Release Info: 24 May 2019

Genre: Drama, Horror, Thriller
Director: Richard Shepard
Writer: Eric C. Charmelo and Richard Shepard
Running Time: 90 Minutes

Staring: Allison Williams, Logan Browning and Alaina Huffman

Rating? TV-MA

SPOILERS? NO 

STORYLINE

When troubled musical prodigy Charlotte (Allison Williams) seeks out Elizabeth (Logan Browning), the new star pupil of her former school the encounter sends both musicians down a sinister path with shocking consequences.

MY REVIEW

Brilliantly Dark! I may have passed this one right by if had not been for the comments online about this movie actually making people feel physically ill when watching. I have two words for the people who had that reaction.. F&*$ing Really? Yeah, it was a wee bit on the disturbing side and maybe I've seen so many horror movies that this TV-MA made for Netflix show was just one in the list. It was good. I loved the unique story as well as the interesting way that the story was told. Not going to give too much about that or it will RUIN the movie.

I think the best way to describe this movie is the idea that when you pul on a three of a sweater, the whole thing will soon unravel. This movie is the epitome of that statement. The threads just keep pulling and it keeps getting better and better. Yes, there were some things that I was not a fan of, but for the most part, this was a solid 8.

What I DID LIKE about this movie:

• Writing- This is a unique story. Yes, there are nods to other movies like this (Black Swan), but this is new. Unique.  Eric C. Charmelo didn't have much movie died in his writing portfolio (some episodes of Supernatural) and  Richard Shepard, who was also the direct also has a very short list of writing credits, but both have a lot of production history. I think that helped them to craft a well written story that did its job by getting us from point A to B in a very interesting and unexpected way.  
• The story at its core is about perfection and the sacrifices that one gives up in their personal lives to attain such feats. While the actual story stays on target to the theme, the expanded concept was really bland. (see below)
• Filming/Editing. I felt like the nod to Darron Aronofsky with the rewind sequences were brilliant.

What I DID NOT LIKE about this movie:

• Special effects were not really that great. I mean the vomit looked like they really just opened a can of Mountain Dew and thickened it to make it look more realistic. The green color was a bit too over the top.
• The end was just more of a surreal mess. You'll see what I mean. Was not what I expected.
• The story, while it was good was a little over the top. I had a hard time with the suspension of reality. It felt like they were telling me that this was a real situation but the ridiculousness of the scenarios that ensue are not believable in any way.

On a more personal note..... 

I did a thing this week. I started work on the remainder of my half sleeve with the best artist on the East Coast, Clay Thames. We have a few more sessions before I will show you guys!! It's going to look amazing!! It was also Dexter Morgan's 4th Birthday this week. He's such a good little baby!

Murder Maps

RATINGS

IMDB: 7.4

MY RATING: 8

GENERAL INFORMATION

First Episode Air Date: 10 Nov 2015 (UK)

Seasons? 1 through 3
Watched Where and When: Netflix
Genre: Crime, Documentary, History

Rating? Unrated

SPOILERS? Not really

STORYLINE

This drama-doc takes us back in time to the most shocking and surprising murder cases in history. Nicholas Day guides us into the world of the killer as we see how police ingenuity and early forensics helped bring them to justice.

MY REVIEW

Brief overview; This doc series is available on Netflix. (Only seasons 1 through 3 at this time) East episode is roughly 45 minutes and there are 4-5 episodes per season. It's astounding to see the path that forensic evidence takes through these winding tales that take us through the murders from the 180s through to the first fingerprinting evidence in the 50's. This is worth the watch.

I love how the series uses live action reenactments as well old photos and drawings of the times at which the murders were done. Peppering in a few interviews with historians and law enforcement professionals that made the stories really come to life.

Of course, any horror movie aficionado as myself, knows some of these stories all too well, but a good amount fo the murders were new to me. Season 2 tells the story of John Christie, the murderer who was responsible for the Notting Hill murders in 1943-1953. It was so intense that it was spread over two episodes. Another new one was the Brighton Trunk Murders, Season 3 Episode 1 about the summer of 1934.

On a more personal note..... 

Little SnapChat fun with the cats tonight. They were not as amused as I was at the idea!

The Babysitter

RATINGS

IMDB: 6.3

MY RATING: 6

GENERAL INFORMATION

Release Info: 13 October 2017
     Netflix 22 Nov 2018 

Genre: Comedy and Horror
Director: McG
Writer: Brian Duffield
Running Time: 12 Hour and 25 Minutes

Staring: Judah Lewis, Samara Weaving and Robbie Amell

Rating? TV-MA

SPOILERS? YES

STORYLINE

The events of one evening take an unexpected turn fo rate worse for a young boy trying to spy on his babysitter.

MY REVIEW

It wasn't the worst movie I've ever seen and it was also not an award winner. If you set appropriate expectations and acknowledge the fact that this is a Netflix created, TV-MA rated, B level star filled comedy/horror romp, you will not be disappointed. 6 because I could not bring myself to go any higher. Think Tucker and Dale but not as good.

So, we have Cole, played by Judah Lewis, is WAY too old for a babysitter, but he is neurotic, scared and constantly being bullied. What do his parents do? Of course, hire a hot high school babysitter, Bee (Samara Weaving). Of course, the story starts with Cole staying up late to see what Bee and her friends drafter he goes to bed and boy does he discover a whopper!! She and her friends have just killed someone and are in the process of doing some sort of satanic ritual. Her friends include cheerleader Allison ( Bella Thorne ) handsome guy Max (Robbie Amell), nerdy and crazy Sonya (Hana Mae Lee) and John the Jock (Andrew Bachelor). Let the crazy ensue!

What I DID LIKE about this movie:

• Writing and editing was pretty good. Started out with some really great and creating shots and ideas, but... (see What I did not like)
• Pacing is really well done. Not a lot of down time to get bored and plenty of two-punch combinations of comedy and horror.
• It's raunchy enough to be funny.
• Cinematography was well done. I loved some of the shots and they really did a good job of alluding to some of the off screen stuff!

What I DID NOT LIKE about this movie:

• Continued from above-- but.... It really began to fall apart when the typical cliches breathe their fiery breath into every bit! Predictable as F&%K!
• I KNOW!! It's a Netflix TV-MA rated HORROR movie. WHY did I think I would get the level of horror and gore that I really want? I don't know either. I must get my brain to comprehend this. This was lacking in a major way for me. They did a decent job with the death scenes but it should have been so, so, SO much more!
• No where near enough to scare anyone. The jump scares were more like yawn scares!
• Words flashing across the screen were ridiculous!

On a more personal note..... 

The kids were enjoying a little catnip on the floor in the afternoon. Oliver does love the nip! Late that night, we had our own little Thanksgiving for the kids! Left to right: Isabella, Jinx,Oliver, Dexter and Rocket.

Malevolent

RATINGS

IMDB: 4.8

MY RATING: 1 stretch to a 2

GENERAL INFORMATION

Release Info: 5 October 2018
   Netflix 16 Nov 2018

Genre: Horror
Director: Olaf de Fleur Johannesson
Writer:Ben Ketai and Eva Konstantopoulos
Running Time: 1 hour and 29 Min

Staring: Florence Pugh, Ben Lloyd-Hughes and Scott Chambers

Rating? TV-MA

SPOILERS? YES

STORYLINE

Siblings Jackson and Angela run a ghost hunting racket; swindling the bereaved with fake equipment and Angela's paranormal 'visions'. Hired to investigate an old foster home, the team uncover its terrifying past.

MY REVIEW

Oh, wow. I struggled with with the rating for this one. It was a solid 1 but had some moments of decency so I gave it a 2. If you want to save your sanity, skip this!

What I DID LIKE about this movie:

• CINEMATOGRAPHY- You know, typically, it's not the cinematography that saves a movie, but it was a close call for this one. 
• SPECIAL EFFECTS and COSTUME DESIGN- Not too bad.

What I DID NOT LIKE about this movie:

• WRITING and EDITING- This movie had a chance at success. It had all of the possible ingredients for a successful movie but failed to deliver on any of them. Where on earth did these people learn how to be humans? Do they not have any common sense? Speaking of the characters. Would have been nice to meet them. What do I mean? Well, there was really no development whatsoever other than the "Hello, I'm Jim".
• DIRECTION- This was a lazy horror movie that made me do more of the work than the people who were supposed to be writing, editing and filming!

On a more personal note..... 

Because that movie was so terrible and I feel bad for making you waste your time reading this review, here are some ridiculously adorable pictures of my youngest baby boy, Lord Oliver Cromwell. He's 14 months old and I love his terribly!

Evil Genius

RATINGS

IMDB: 7.6 of 10

MY RATING: 9

GENERAL INFORMATION

First Episode Air Date: 10 May 2018

Seasons? 4 Episode Series
Watched Where and When: Oct-Nov 2018 on Netflix
Genre: Documentary, Crime

Rating? TV-MA

SPOILERS? YES

STORYLINE

The extraordinary tale of the "pizza bomber heist" and the FBI's investigation into a bizarre collection of suspects.

MY REVIEW

I remember seeing this in the news in 2003 but wow, just wow. This documentary was intense. Netflix has done a really great job with this one. What I feel is the most powerful fact is that the researcher spent 15 years of his life getting to know the main suspect, Marjorie Deihl Armstrong. Definitely worth the 2.5 hours you will need to get through this documentary. Great job!

Part 1: The Heist
So let's set the scene. A bank robbery in Erie, Pennsylvania ends
in the death via collar-bomb device on a pizza delivery man, Brian Wells, who may or may not have been a hostage forced to commit the crime. The police are confused/bumbling in this portrayal where they just watch as he yells from his spot in the road that he was set up. The device blew and he was declared dead but NOT dead enough apparently to put their guns down. We find out later that this was definitely a set up for this guy by a prostitute that he often went to. She sold him out for some quick cash.

Part 2: The Frozen Body
Now we find out more-- SO there's a frozen body (James Roden) in the freezer at the house of this woman, Marjorie Diehl-Armstrong, who by all reports is crazy intelligent but is riddled with personality disorders and mental issues.. AND get this, she was turned in by her friend/boyfriend/lover (William "Bill" Rothstein) whoever since it just kinda all merges. What we do find out is that one of them killed James Rosen, even through Rothstein claimed in was Deihl-Armstrong. Roden was her boyfriend and was killed so he wouldn't tell about the heist is the assumption.

Part 3: The Suspects
Two years after the heist, one of its architects (Rothstein) has died of cancer, a witness comes out of the woodwork and then Marjorie Diehl-Armstrong reveals much too much to her cellmates in prison.

Part 4: The The Confessions
So here we are, years after the death of Bill Rothstein, conspirators start to come forward, deals are made and a jury renders its verdict BUT THEN, another twist, more witnesses to the so-called solved crime step forward.

1922

MY RATING: 8

GENERAL INFORMATION

Release Info: 20 October 2017
     Netflix 2 Nov 2018 

Genre:Crime, Drama, Horror
Director:Zak Hilditch
Writer:Stephen King
Running Time: 1 Hour and 42 Minutes 

Staring: Thomas Jane, Molly Parker and Dylan Schmid

Rating? TV-MA

SPOILERS? NO

STORYLINE

A simple yet proud farmer in the year 1922 conspires to murder his wife for financial gain, convincing his teenage son to assist. But their actions have unintended consequences.

MY REVIEW

1922 is a slow and deliberate look at guilt and consequences. This movie is rich in character development and heavy in a suspense. One can see influences of Edgar Allan Poe here with nods to "The Tell Tale Heart" and "The Black Cat." I've always been a big fan of stories that are told by one of the characters.

What I DID LIKE about this movie:

• Thomas Jane as husband to Arlette (Molly Parker) and father to Henry (Dylan Schmid) is quite possibly my favorite part of this whole movie. His dedication to the 1920's farmer persona was refreshing. He's overbearing as a father and in his attempts to control his wife. Arlette seems to not want to be controlled and that is very odd for a wife in that time.
• This movie will F&*$ with you psychologically.  In the beginning, we hear Thomas Jane's character Wilfred James speak the words "In the end, we all get caught." How perfect were these words once you get to the end of the movie. This theme did resonate with me. You can't hide from deeds in your past. They always catch up to you. ALWAYS. In one way or another, they peep out and catch you when you least expect.
• The plot begins dark and spirals down a dark path that continues to become even darker than one would think possible. 

What I DID NOT LIKE about this movie:

• Once the story was defined, it was somewhat predictable. 
• I was set in 1922. Everyone looks too clean. I mean for real, at that time, everyone was taking baths once a week and greasy hair as the norm. Henry always looked too clean! Could have been a little more realistic with the attire. 14 year old farm kids did not wear pressed shirts to school.

Maniac

GENERAL INFORMATIONTwoRelease Info:  Netflix 2018

Genre:Comedy, Drama, Sci-Fi
Creator: Cary Joji Fukunaga and Patrick Somerville
Running Time: 20-50 minutes per episode, 10 Episodes

Staring: Jonah Hill, Emma Stone, Justin Theroux and Sally Field

Rating? TV- MA

SPOILERS? NO

REVIEWS

IMDB: 8.1

MY RATING: 8 of 10

STORYLINE

Two strangers are drawn to a mysterious pharmaceutical trial that will, and they're assured, with no complications or side-effects whatsoever, solve all of their problems, permanently. Things do not go as planned.

MY REVIEW

After the first two episodes, I was hooked like my cat to catnip! The idea of an alternate reality in this show really did a little dance number that set very well with me. Yes, there were some things that I just let go for the greater good, but this was a solid 8. It's blending of 80's sci-fi and an offbeat quirky cast of just left of center people who are all endearing in their own way. This 10 episode story left me feeling strangely in need of hugging my mom. Well played, Netflix.

I'm not sure if I want to credit the director with the performances of Jonah Hill and Emma Stone, but they were amazing. It was truly a pleasure to watch.

What I DID LIKE about this movie:

• Like I said above, the director got exactly the performance that was needed for the roles of Owen Milgrim and Annie Landsberg. They were pivotal to making the story believable. Their chemistry was palpable. I loved how easily they worked together. It's always better if a team has the right chemistry.
• CINEMATOGRAPHY and SET DESIGN- Just amazing the level of detail that was provided for each location/time. My favorite was the seance episode.
• COSTUME DESIGN- The dichotomy between the locations of each episode were perfection! There is something special about an actor/s who can adapt to that fast change in situation with 
• SCORE/SOUNDTRACK- the music was unsettlingly calm at times but it really worked for the concept.

What I DID NOT LIKE about this movie:

• 80's Sci-Fi mixed with modern was good, but not really my favorite thing. Not a true "didn't like", but just didn't work for me.

What QUESTIONS do I now have?

• When will the story go on?

On a more personal note..... 

Had a little SnapChat fun with the cat ear filters. Pretty much, that is what makes this time of year tolerable! Then I gave the kitties some catnip! We all know how well that goes!

Death Note

GENERAL INFORMATION

Release Info: 25 Aug 2017 (Netflix)

Director: Adam Wingard
Writer: Charley Parlapanides and Vlas Parlapanides
Running Time: 1 Hour and 41 Minutes

Staring:  Nat Wolff, Lakeith Stanfield and Margaret Qualley

Rating? TV-MA

SPOILERS? YES

REVIEWS

IMDB: 4.6 of 10

RT: Critics: 39% Audience: 25%
MY RATING: 3 is all I can do

STORYLINE

Ripped from Japanese Anime.. a high school student named Light Turner, discovers a mysterious notebook that has the power to kill anyone whose name is written within its pages and launches a secret crusade to rid the world of criminals.

MY REVIEW

So, I have seen the original Death Note and have a little knowledge of the book itself. That being said, I was not a fan of this movie. It was less comparable to the original and more on the line of Donnie Darko. It has bright spots but no where near enough for a redemptive up-rating. It ;leans towards a teenage melodrama and steers away from the original intent of the story. I do want to give Willem Dafoe a LARGE nod of the head for his portrayal of Ryuk. 

What I DID LIKE about this movie:

•  Willem Dafoe- You, sir, deserve a special shout out! Excellent job sir. You alone get this movie a 3 instead of a 1!

What I DID NOT LIKE about this movie:

• Lakeith Stanfield's portrayal of "L" was a little ridiculous to me. He was hard to take seriously and occasionally bordered on the deliberate exaggeration or an imitation of something that he was not super interested in copying.
•  Nat Wolff and  Margaret Qualley as the two main characters. Just not awesome.
• The rules? It seems that there are a lot of rules that are just introduced as plot development needs  and pretty ridiculous since they don't even follow the rules themselves! I mean, seriously, why can Mia WRITE in the book, TOUCH the book but NOT SEE Ryuk?!?!?

On a more personal note..... Had a lovely  afternoon AFTER the movie with my friend Melissa and then a few pictures of the babies, Dexter Morgan and Rocket J.

SaveSave

Santa Clarita Diet

RATINGS

IMDB: 7.8

MY RATING: 7

GENERAL INFORMATION

First Episode Air Date: 3 Feb 2017 (Netflix)

Running Time: 30 Minutes each, 10 Episodes
Season One
Genre: Comedy, Horror
Staring: Drew Barrymore and Timothy Olyphant

Rating? TV-MW

SPOILERS? NO or YES

STORYLINE

Sheila and Joel are married real estate agents in Santa Clarita, CA. When Sheila does, their lives take a dark turn.

MY REVIEW

I must admit this, mostly for reassurance and less about judging me, but I watched the first episode and COULD NOT STOP. I finished the whole thing in the same day! This is brilliant. It's comedic and dark and each character develops in a way that is not only subtle but necessary. Yeah, there were a few pieces that annoyed me, but on the whole, this was a solid 7.

What I DID LIKE about this show:

• This is the perfect mix of Dexter meets Desperate Housewives. Love the idea!
• GORE!!

What I DID NOT LIKE about this show:

• The first few episodes are not as good as the last few, but i am okay with that since we really needed the first few to set up the characters and plots.
• Sometimes, they do over play the comedy aspect and end up losing the thing that was supposed to be funny in the first place.