Loz Has Her Say

Loz, 23, she/her/it Independent review blog https://lozhashersay.blogspot.com/

[mentalquotes]

[lozhashersay]

Well, well, well it's been a long time hasn't it!

I'm so sorry for neglecting this blog but so many things have been going on that I have been forced to make cut backs in areas I probably shouldn't have! But I'm making more time for me now, so in the words of Emperor Kuzco 'I'm back baby!'

Just a quick mention as well, I started up a sister blog for my Disney content which is a wee bit more active than this one, if you fancy a look into the mind of a Disney obsessed weirdo then go take a look at lozdoesdisney on Instagram!

What a brilliant film to come back to the world of reviews with! I have waited so long for new Ghostbusters content, as I'm sure has everybody else, and honestly I wasn't disappointed at all.

STOP NOW IF YOU DONT WANT SPOILERS!

ALRIGHTY, YOU HAVE BEEN WARNED.

So we are approximately 30 years after the original Ghostbusters movie. Egon has recently passed away and we meet his family who he had left behind in both senses of that phrase. Focus is primarily on his Granddaughter Phoebe, she looks like him, she acts like him, and she's a bloody badass, no wonder she is our leading lady.

Now what I disliked about the first half of the movie is the fact that the Spengler kin have basically disowned Egon due to his absence. They claim not to have known him and painted him in a very negative light. I find this unbelievable, obviously the plot point is he ran away to make everyone safe from the wrath of Gozer and that is in keeping with his character, and I know that Callie is only saying that rightfully as any upset daughter would if you want to blame someone for leaving without understanding why. But surely she knew enough, especially as she knew who her dad was, to know he wouldn't have left her in the lurch in cold blood? Whatever.

The other bit which doesn't sit right with me is the fact that I didn't see Slimer once. He is an integral part of the GB brand and unless I missed it he wasn't in it for a second.

Otherwise I found the narrative quite compelling and entertaining. Seemed a little slow but that was purely down to needing to set an accurate picture of where we are and who we are with or else the explosive ending wouldn't have been nearly as climactic as it was.

I was due to see Afterlife on opening night but went out to a work meal instead so I was absolutely chomping at the bit Friday and booked the last screening. My poor brother got dragged along but he enjoyed it just as much as I did. High praise indeed especially as he has only seen the first film. I found myself explaining some relevant plot points in the car on the way home, like the fact Egon didn't have any dialogue was because Harold Ramis had died in real life, he didn't realise that was the reason we were missing a Ghostbuster, nor that was the reason I was bauling my eyes out during the final sequence. Goddamn Ghostbusters had no business making me cry like that.

I felt the dynamic between Phoebe and Trevor was lacking a little, the few times they interacted didn't overly seem like they were siblings until we started moving towards the end. There isn't much of an age difference between them for the movie but a huge difference in personality, but even then I thought I would see some bickering or teasing but instead it was straight up indifference and awkward interactions. My brother and I are awkward with each other, but it's usually followed up by a gesture of niceness or straight up sibling rivalry, we didn't see that on screen.

Gary and Callie on the other hand, woah. Get me a romance like that, banterships are the new mascots of healthy relationships and those two are onto a win. They are totally themselves and don't hide it, and Gary already loves the kids so he's a winner, not to mention the fact that he is a straight up nice guy (as expected from Paul Rudd) and Callie deserves some stability and true love like that. My only grievance with Rudd's character is his polar opposites. He did a great job of combining scientist with hot sorority guy but seemed a bit off. I got dick vibes as he was marching around that Walmart and putting horror films on for 12 year olds, he seemed like the stereotypical American jerk type but then has this great brain and amazing personality. Great this shows a depth as don't judge a book by it's cover and all, but still a weird thing as I felt like I was watching two different characters depending on the plot device. I feel like Gary is the type of guy to go smoke weed in his car on his lunch break only to go home and smash out an award winning thesis on tectonic plates and it's involvement in paranormal happenings.

What I loved most about this film is the parallel it draws to the first movie. Gozer, the gate keeper and key master. The dialogue which is repeated in those crucial scenes. The costumes, the set. They were bloody faithful to the original and god the nostalgia was killing me. This was a movie dedicated to the memory on our childhood and surpassed expectations at every point. I had an idea of what I was walking into and I was wrong. I thought I was going to see a film with a new threat, a tribute to our boys AND gals but more so a wave at a memory but moving on to a totally new story and the inevitable breaking up of a team in order to pass the mantle. I was not expecting a completely valid continuation of story, a beautiful ending, a team united to include, NOT pass on to the next gen, and a chance to worship and say goodbye at the same time. This was a creation worthy of our time, this was brilliantly done.

I'm not going to go too much into the ending as that is one spoiler too many and I'd be pissed if I had read it on the internet 3 days after the film's release. But what I will say is yes the heroes return in all their glory. Wasn't as long as I wished it could have been, but it was just as awesome and left me with the intense desire to binge watch the original movies the second I got home. It also broke my heart, the apologies which I know from research on all the actors extend to the real world and things they wished they could have said but never got the chance, the tribute to my favourite Ghostbuster and the fact the film hadn't even finished and it stated his dedication. I was a mess, I sat there sobbing silently for a good ten minutes and my poor baby brother had no idea why until I explained. With this in mind I implore you to go and see this movie especially if you are a fan, just for closure if anything else. It was a final nostalgic trip to pay respects and say goodbye to our childhood heroes. As let's face it, even if you weren't a kid from the 80s Ghostbusters have still found a way to enter the lives of every single person here to date. The movies are a legacy which here here to stay.

All in all, I give Ghostbusters: Afterlife an 8/10. If I am being truly honest with myself it was a little disjointed, a teensy bit rushed, but completely sugar coated by nostalgia so nobody minds. In my humble opinion it was not long enough to fit in all the pieces and I would have loved to see more of the original team, but it wasn't about them, not really. But I sure am happy with what we got.

Just finally I want to talk about sequel potential. We've got an open ending where naturally more films could come. But these would be films for the new generation of Ghostbusters and this is the reason I am in two minds. I full believe the mantle should be passed and the legacy continues. But at the same time I don't want it to, this is perfect as it is, this should be a stop, we have said goodbye in a fitting way as we are all grown. I just don't want the magic to be spoilt but at the same time would love an expansion. I'm sure I'm not the only one who thinks this. I just don't think it would be right to have a future in this universe without the original team.

Well thanks for welcoming me back lovelies, let me know what your thoughts are in the comments and I'll see ya next time!

[lozhashersay]

I am back baby! With such a brilliant film as well! Couldn’t have timed it better. Link in bio if you wanna see my thoughts on the new #ghostbusters movie!

https://lozhashersay.blogspot.com/

#ghostbustersafterlife #danaykroyd #billmurray #anniepotts #haroldramis #erniehudson #sigourneyweaver #paulrudd #logankim #celesteoconnor #mckennagrace #finnwolfhard #carriecoon #raystantz #egonspengler #petervenkman #winstonzeddemore #janine #phoebespengler #trevorspengler https://www.instagram.com/p/CWiVpWMsCxj/?utm_medium=tumblr

[lozhashersay]

So this film comes out in the UK today and I saw it last week, so I’m taking this excellent opportunity to tell you to go and see it.

I saw Spiderman Into the Spiderverse in 3D, and not going to lie but it made zero difference to the film I was watching whatsoever, so don’t splash out on 3D if you don’t want to, it will not affect your screening.

Now my partner is a massive spideygeek, as I have mentioned in previous reviews I’m not up to date in the Marvel universe at all and I just take it as it comes nowadays, what did get me was the recent death of the late great Stan Lee whose cameo in both this and Ralph Breaks the Internet made me cry. I may not be that invested in his creations but that doesn’t mean I do not respect the man for everything he has done and created, it made life a little better.

So there he is trying to fill me in on why there are so many Spider people and I’m still lost but I enjoyed following the story of Miles and I so knew the secret Uncle Aaron was keeping before that twist happened. 

What I am really proud of is that Nicolas Cage only said ‘Hi fellas’ and I immediately knew it was him, I name that voice in one, and I am so happy he got to be Spidey, or at least a version very fitting to him.

I really don’t want to give much of this film away but all I can say is there are some upsetting deaths, lots of action, and a brilliant origin story if not a weird one. Hopefully we will be seeing a bit of Miles and the others a bit more.

Overall I give Spiderman into the Spiderverse a Spidey-sense tingling 8/10, it was fun, it was emotional and I was truly entertained.

[lozhashersay]

I want to start this review off with complete honesty. I didn’t like Wreck It Ralph all that much so as you can imagine I wasn’t that thrilled when the sequel came out, but as I’m still on my Disney quest even though I have now been to Disneyland (if all goes to plan I will go again in 2019) I decided to give it a go.

I don’t know if it was because of the way I was feeling that day but the very obvious themes of anxiety and confidence issues actually made me cry and leads to to conclude that I didn’t like this film very much at all. I appreciate the effort to include these very real problems but I don’t feel like they were handled very well at all, the fact Ralph’s insecurity was exploited so visually and he was belittled and turned into a literal monster because of this was almost traumatising. I know this was supposed to be away to address these themes and show everyone they understand and give people who suffer and outlet and something to relate to and what not but bringing up those issues so abruptly and displaying them so forcefully was wrong. But again, maybe that was just how I was feeling that day.

What I did like about the film was the references to everything else, the Disney empire, the Princess’ scene was excellent, the Stormtroopers and Stan Lee cameo again added such a surreal feel to the film, it made it seem so familiar.

The other themes expressed were decent enough, the acute separation anxiety Ralph showed before the monster ending seemed like a nicer way to address something so real. Vanellope wanted more, she wanted new, but her fit with Ralph didn’t seem convincing after all, and Ralph didn’t seem like Ralph, we knew he had existential issues after the previous film, and he coped by putting such a strain on V’s shoulders and maybe this is what drove them apart and to be so different. I just wasn’t that keen. But it was nice to see the bonds grow between the other characters, and to see life beyond the games progress, but I feel like this could have been better explored in some Disney shorts rather than a film that made me sad.

Overall I rate the previously oversweet Ralph Breaks the Internet a 5/10, it wasn’t bad, but Disney have done so much better, and I just don’t see the point in this sequel other than to depress adults and to scar those with mental health or young children. Not a fan, sorry.

[lozhashersay]

I’m off sick at the moment with a stomach infection so it gives me a perfect chance to catch up with everything I have been slacking on as long as I do not leave the comfort of the sofa. Baring in mind my work Christmas party is tomorrow throws in an interesting factor, we shall see if I am well enough to go. Sadly I missed Mortal Engines last night because I’m poorly but hopefully I’ll make Bumblebee on Sunday.

So Robin Hood is one of those films that gets rebooted every few years, much like Spiderman but I’m not sure of any legal reason why they need to do so. Anyway I can’t remember any Robin Hood film that I have actually sat down and watched bar the Disney adaptation and the BBC series that was replaced by Merlin. I’m talking YEARS ago, so long that I convinced myself I imagined that series because no one remembers it.

I promised my partner we would go see this one and although I wasn’t actually interested it became a talking point with my Grandad and the film was actually really good.

Taron Egerton is a very talented man, that much has become very clear with what I’ve been seeing from him recently. What got me was how he seemed made to play this version of Robin Hood, it was gritty, it was emotional, a darn good film.

What I found when watching this version and comparing it to my limited knowledge on the subject was that the motives of the Hood were a little different from the usual robbing the rich to give to the poor. This was more about revenge and corrupt governments. In no way was it supposed to be historically accurate and I love this spin on it as all we need to see was a hero for the people.

What I found when watching this version was although it was action packed it was a bit more emotional than any other version I remember, we focused on bonds built between characters and how some were broken and some were strengthened. We focused on the impact of war within countries and within people and communities and it was a refreshing take.

Overall I give Robin Hood a 7/10, it was a good film and decent cast who made me love and hate their characters, I was just left with very little to say other than it was good.

[lozhashersay]

I really did mean to do my review on The Crimes of Grindelwald as soon as I saw the movie, purely because I love the wizarding world and I feel like the world needed to know about the new installment.

Honestly days before it had even been released I was hearing that it was terrible. No magic, people were not accepting it as canon, and there was even a vicious rumour that the rest of the installments were not to continue because of the box office plummet. Well guess what, I liked it, and here’s why...

I have waited quite a long time for this one, and the development of Grindelwald is something I have been looking forward to most, not to mention the introduction of Dumbledore. 

Now, there have been some big issues with how Dumbledore’s sexuality was displayed but why do we need to make him so overly gay? At what point in the Harry Potter series was he so overtly out? From my perception of Dumbledore he has been subtle with himself as well as everything else, yes he has flare but we don’t need to exaggerate this, so why should we in the prequel? You must also remember the time setting, not everything was as open back then as it is in 2018 we forget our own privilege, maybe it isn’t addressed so openly but we are aware of the connection, we can see in the emotions there is more than friendship in his gaze but it just doesn’t fit with the character to have him be so flamboyant with his sexuality and why should we make it, we are who we are why should we have to make a big sing and dance over these things anymore, everyone is accepted or at least in my heart, just be yourself.

In this story we begin to see the division in the wizarding world, we see how prejudice and cruel people have become and how diverse the feelings are at that time which is a turning point and highlights how their current mentality died out in the wizarding world we are familiar with, all apart from those who kept it and they were mostly Deatheaters and look how that turned out...

What I liked about this one is that we saw more than just the focus point, yes we started following Newt and that is what people assumed would still happen but no, we are now following stories of people who are already hurt, this whole film is fixated around emotions, especially the negative ones, and how it shapes a person, how it influences choices and the consequences.

 Let’s take a look at the themes in certain characters to prove my point here:

  Queenie is so in love, but it is a love she isn’t permitted to be in because it is currently classed as wrong. Queenie’s hurt is heartbreak, and this leads her to being easily influenced by something spun to her as the right thing for the cause she wants, for the love she wants, and by that she has made what is classed as the wrong choice, she has joined a bad cause for her cause, and in her head that makes it right, this doesn’t make her a bad person.

Similar to that is her sister, Tina, and her hurt which is also heartbreak. Two heartbroken sisters, ones hurt is so severe because she is told she can’t, and the other may seem minor in comparison but she hurts because she could. It is clear that Tina loves Newt, she loves and thought she had lost, she is hurt because she thought there was a chance, and by all means there was no reason why there couldn’t have been unlike Queenie, but then she couldn’t pursue that love because she thought there was someone else in the way. I’m not sure about a lot of things but that is not classed as minor hurt, anyone who has loved and lost and thought of what could have been will know that that is a break that can never be repaired.

To continue with the heartbreak theme we have Dumbledore, now this is one that isn’t explored all that much but if you look hard enough you can see the hurt. It is clear to anyone if you know the history or not that Dumbledore is in love with Grindelwald, not was in love, is in love. Despite the blood oath, I don’t think that moving against him was an option because he can’t see the bad in the man he loves, he understands the darkness that is being brought and who is the cause, he understands the motives and that it is wrong, but behind it all; it is still the man he loves, and love is blinding. Dumbledore’s hurt is because he did, he did love and shouldn’t because now he is loving a monster. Dumbledore’s hurt is because he has now effectively been betrayed, two sides of the same coin, forever entwined but can no longer be.

As an extension Jacob’s hurt is also because he feels he has been betrayed. He loves Queenie, but she won’t wait for him, she won’t be patient, and he is being so careful to protect her. Jacob is hurting because he knows he can’t protect her.

Then we have Credence, he has the most obvious hurt that these films are partially centered around. Credence is hurt because he does not know love, he hasn’t experienced love and it is something that he craves. He feels he needs love to know who he is, he needs to be complete. Credence hurts from abandonment, from being abused, from the lack of love, from not knowing who he is. Credence hurts because he is alone.

Newt hurts because he has a decision to make, Newt hurts because he is being forced to be someone else, he had a quiet life, he is doing what he wanted to do, saving the animals and beasts he has devoted his life to and now he is being told to kill Credence when all he wanted to do was save him. That goes against everything Newt stands for and so it hurts because he isn’t so sure he can save this life after all. Not to mention he is being forced and manipulated by his brother, the ministry, Dumbledore, and his old love. Everything he has ever stood against or stood for has merged against him and his internal struggle to do what is right is what is hurting him most. Not to mention his love for Tina, his determination to track her down and explain he loves her, but Newt struggles with words, he struggles with people and it is important to note how hard and hurtful this advance is for him, he is scared of rejection, he is scared in general, and I don’t blame him.

As a parallel Theseus, Newt’s brother, has another type of hurt. I feel his character is somewhat similar to Percy Weasley. He struggles between the loyalty of his family and the loyalty of his job at the ministry, in this game of tug of war it’s side with your family or side with your country, either way he becomes a traitor and that is not a label either man wants to live with. I think status comes into play there as well. Another hurt of poor Theseus is he loses his love, a love that wasn’t supposed to be his and I think he knows he lost his brother there too, the brother he is trying so hard to protect but can’t because it is beyond his control.

Poor Leta, the strongest character I think in this film. She is hurt because all her life she lived with a secret, a secret which brought her so much closer to the darkness the Lestrange name stood for. Leta did not want to be like that, she didn’t want to be the person the name said she was supposed to be, in a way this is just like Sirius. Leta lived so hard to distance herself from the name, from the shame of what she did, and in the end she sacrificed herself, for herself, to show the world she wasn’t all bad. Leta hurt because she was ashamed, Leta hurt because she was judged and wronged, and did something so terrible that wasn’t really her fault. Leta hurt because of the guilt that she placed on herself at such a young age, and it was because of that guilt she chose to die.

And finally Grindelwald. Now I’m not sure of the hurt in this character, I believe it stems from his relationship with Dumbledore, again with the theme of betrayal, from what I can remember towards the end of Harry Potter, he and Dumbledore originally shared beliefs, Grindelwald found a love in someone who understood him, someone he could trust and with the death of Ariana true selves became clear and the love and trust between them was lost. Grindelwald is hurt because he is lost, he is alone and yet not, but he is tired of being hidden, put down, trodden on treated like he is nothing because he believes he has a power to change the world, he is strong and wants to be recognised and understood and I think this is where his hurt lies. Grindelwald wants to be known, respected and the only way he can do so is for the wrong reasons, because since he lost that trust, that love with Dumbledore he has become a broken soul and why fix it when to get what you want you do the only thing you can. From desperation comes great consequence and it was pain and grief all along.

I loved this film because of those themes in all those characters, it wasn’t as two dimensional as people have been saying. We saw a broader door into the world we have all been wanting to live in, but it isn’t about the extension, this isn’t about Harry anymore, this is about the community before then in general, this is about how that world we fell in love with came to be. This is about establishing history and we need that in this day and age. We can now see into the characters heart and souls, see how one opinion can change the world. Don’t hate on Fantastic Beasts because it isn’t Potter, this is a whole new type of world.

Now please remember these are my thoughts on this film, it isn’t canon, maybe I have just read too much into the characters but I did love Depp’s portrayal of Grindelwald. Jude Law presented Dumbledore with the same subtlety as the character we are used to and it was familiar in the chaos or the war that was beginning. Overall I enjoyed the multi-talented cast and the great story.

In conclusion to my review that became a hardcore essay I give Fantastic Beasts: The Crimes of Grindelwald a magical 8/10. It was serious, it was bold, and I can’t wait to see how we progress.

[lozhashersay]

So during my christmas stint in November I also viewed yet another remake of the classic green Scrooge, Mr Grinch.

I’m not going to lie, as with a lot of remakes I was reluctant to see it, in my personal opinion nothing will ever beat Jim Carrey’s version but it was worth a go.

I have to say I did quite like it. There I said it. However I was really disappointed that a lot of things from the trailers that I have seen many, many, many times that did not seem to make it into the film that I viewed that night. Obviously the stereo would replace ‘Happy’ with a christmas song, but why did we need to dub over the lady with the jam with an overly fake British accent?

Anyway, it was a decent take of the story we are all familiar with, and it has a decent modern day spin on it, with Cindy-lou being proactive and her mum being widowed with 2 or 3 kids and making it on her own however hard. It was empowering and really needed in a feel good time of this kind of year.

The Grinch didn’t seem to be as nasty or bad spirited as previously depicted so a bit of the magic was lost there, there was just an overhang of depressing and yet oh so realistic childhood trauma being the reason the Grinch isn’t so jolly at christmas. 

Overall I give The Grinch (2018) a 6/10 for being a decent remake we didn’t ask for, and for making realistic situation and trauma something to overcome at this time of year, it proved christmas is a time of year when you can be accepted and everyone comes together.

[lozhashersay]

So it is now a while ago that I watched this refreshing tale. Twas a day full of christmas films in November for me, I had Hallmark movies on the telly in the morning and watched The Nutcracker and The Grinch at the cinema in the afternoon.

I have to say this was a magical film to watch, even though it isn’t technically a christmas film it definitely felt like it had brought the spirit home early. I experienced the magic of the realms there with Clara and I had my own adventure there and then in the cinema.

I have to say although the twists were obvious they were still quite fun, let us just say that Mother Ginger isn’t who/what they say she is and Sugar Plum is so overly sweet she soon turns rotten. Also, tin soldiers are creepy af...

The only major thing that bugged me about this film is how annoying Keira Knightly’s voice was pushed to be, I get it, high and sweet but there was a limit and I preferred the deeper tone in her darkest scenes. I also had an issue with how rushed the end few scenes seemed to be, there’s nothing wrong with a few more minutes of screen time to make it flow better and that is all it needed.

Overall I rate The Nutcracker and the Four Realms a sentimental 7/10, it was sweet, it was magical, and a little slice of christmas in November, but it was just a little too rushed.

[lozhashersay]

What bugs me about this film isn’t actually to do with this film, I am annoyed it wasn’t in cinemas for longer. I don’t know about anywhere else but down where I live we have 4 cinemas, 2 of which are independent and basically show kids films only and two which are still a while away, I still wouldn’t call them local, that are cineworlds who only showed this brilliant film for a week. One week.

Anyway, compared to the Cornetto Trilogy this one is definitely above The World’s End, I’d say on parr with Shaun of the Dead, but not even close to the greatness of Hot Fuzz. But this is new, this is the start of something else, this should be the start of the Choc Ice collection or something. Yes. 

I have to say the narrative of this one was peculiar, one minute we are having a very real emotional scene and then we switch to some sort of alien monster trying to eat everyone or Nick Frost offering drugs to youngsters. This is the reason I think it is so good. We end up exploring issues that need to be addressed in our day and age (as with all their films), such as Willoughby’s preference for the male gender and the backlash towards this, especially in a private school, meanwhile maintaining the usual comedic element and throwing in some action and gore. This has to be my current favourite horror-comedy. 

There are so many elements to this film that make it so enjoyable. That and it appeals to all ages in the more adult spectrum, maybe a bit more of my generation but the diversity is there. As always the acting was far from shoddy. Asa Butterfield once again astounded me, he is a man with many sides but plays them all very well with his innocent looking face, Simon Pegg and Nick frost, my dream team should I ever get famous (always been at the top of my list for people I’d love to work with, these guys were all we talked about in film and media studies), were once again fantastic although I craved  interaction from their characters I needed more screen time. Overall it was a bloody good film, I cannot speak highly enough!

I give Slaughterhouse Rulez a well deserved 9/10 which in the current (UK) grading scale I think that is an A*. The laughs were there, the horror was there, it was great, but something was missing, I just can’t think what.

EDIT: It was Bill Nighy.... Bill Nighy is missing.

[lozhashersay]

So to make this clear I went out of my way to watch Halloween movies on Halloween, it was a weird day for me, I wanted it to be creepy and spooky but there was a funeral I didn’t feel right attending that day of someone I knew for a short time but made an impact none the less, so the magic was lost.

Anyway I saw 3 films that day; Goosebumps 2, Halloween, and Slaughterhouse Rulez. Here are my thoughts on the second film of that day.

Halloween is a film people have been waiting for for years. I have reviewed the original and its sequels and I honestly think this sequel which disregards all sequels was worth digging the characters back up for. I like the ending for this one, it’s open but at the same time resolved and that’s nice for such an important cog in the horror genre.

What upsets me is how everyone thinks Laurie Strode is such a demented recluse, in this day and age we should have a bit more sympathy regarding trauma, she watched this guy murder like half her town and barely escaped with her life, is she not entitled to be prepared and go a bit over the top protection wise when she is the only one alive who is aware of what he is capable of? 

Another thing is the character twist for Dr. Sartain, I knew it was coming, how could you not considering all the years he has spent with the psycho. There’s only so long you can spend observing someone before you start behaving like them.

Also with Michael, he has an obsession with killing and yet left a bunch of people he passed alive, what is the motive/criteria to be killed by him, will we ever know? Also there’s a connection to Laurie now, the one that got away, but what is the real reason she was hunted now the sibling connection is no longer canon. WHAT HAPPENED TO THE KID THAT WAS BEING BABY SAT? So many questions, zero answers.

Although it was a lot better than some of its predecessors the whole thing seemed a little rushed for a deadline which could have been pushed back to the day that gave the film its name? Would that not be a valid idea. What I did like about the film is that it kept the vibe from the older films. Yeah we have some modern techniques and styles but we kept the scary atmosphere that was only kinda scary back in the 70s when this kind of slasher was new and exciting. John Carpenter outdid himself and redeemed himself but I struggle to see how these were poop your panties scary to begin with. Maybe it is because I’m from a different generation with overused cliches thanks to this classic that created so much more, but I appreciate in this day and age the sense of being stalked and being afraid they captured that hands down.

Overall I give Halloween (2018) a decent 7/10. Acting was unfaultable (is that a word?), and the premise was promising, just the execution was a little underwhelming. What did you guys think? I know this is a pretty followed topic in the world of Tumblr, drop me a line.

[lozhashersay]

Hello Tumblr, I do apologise I said I would complete my reviews and then I never came back, oops!

So to set the record straight here we go….

Goosebumps 2: Haunted Halloween was a feel good family film, with cheesy jokes and cheesy visuals, basically one of those films you put on for the kids and see snippets of because the rest of it doesn’t really make sense. So I viewed this on Halloween which made it seem better but that was probably the effects of the holiday, you want cheesy spooks to get you in the mood.

What annoys me is they didn’t credit Jack Black. Jack Black was very visibly in it, and he even voiced Slappy the Dummy, which makes me happy due to the rumours he wasn’t in it at all but I still feel he deserved a mention.

I feel like having a whole new cast was a bold move and one that worked, but  this film just seems like it was better suited as an original tv movie on nickelodeon rather than a cinematic spectacular. It just seemed like a waste of talent because the acting was brilliant but the story let it down and you could tell it was low budget, by all means low budgets normally produce the best stories but this was not the case.

The gummy monsters were fun, the dummy was fun, the superstore full of monsters was a nice touch it just didn’t hold any magic which was a shame, as although the first film wasnt *that* great it was still far better as a Stine adaptation.

Overall I give Goosebumps 2: Haunted Halloween a 5/10, it wasn’t terrible but for something that wasn’t a straight to dvd movie it should have been a lot better.

[lozhashersay]

Not really that long ago my cinema buddies and I (Partner and our friend) went to see this delightful film. Now I wasn’t so sure a third one was a good idea after the disappointment that the second installment left but I was pleasantly surprised.

I adore the original film. You just can’t beat it on a lazy Sunday afternoon/evening and it has been one of my favourites since I was a kid. In fact it has made such an impression on me that as soon as I see certain actors or even hear the mention of the Arch Bishop of Canterbury I have to mention that he has tattooed on his bottom ‘Jesus is coming, look busy’ as infamously quoted in the film.

Honestly, this film redeemed itself. The comedy that lacked in the second had returned, Bough (I thought it was Boff?) was back, and everything you thought would happen did and more. Sadly it could not top the first Johnny English but nothing could, if we gloss over the second one completely then no comedic magic was lost.

What I thought was really good about this film is how it is tailored to meet all generations. The basis of the plot is technology and how dangerous it can be, but that is subtext, what you see is the *older* generation struggling with gadgets as they do and certain methods used back then proving superior which appeals to those of that age group including the average parent, as well as mine, and the generation around my own (I’m 20) as we are familiar with the struggles but do not have them ourselves....as much.

Overall, I rate Johnny English Strikes Again a secret agent 7/10. It is original even with its over used jokes, fun, action packed, and a great family film.

[lozhashersay]

Hello Tumblr, unsurprisingly I find myself running slightly behind with my new releases, this time of year there is just too much to do and I’ve been neglecting you, so sorry. Tonight I shall publish five reviews with Venom being the first, now these are all the new releases I’ve seen in the span of October, more will follow after my visit to the cinema tomorrow.

So Venom, what can I possibly say about Venom other than it was amazing! I honestly didn’t expect it to be so good. It seemed highly comedic, action packed, and so much more than I had initially expected. Now I waited 4 days after release day to go and see this with my partner and my friend and I had seen nothing but bad reviews of it, naturally it was something I needed to witness to make an opinion and I am so glad I did. I am not one of those familiar with Venom origins and who carried him and whatnot, if I remember rightly he was attached to Spiderman in Spiderman 3, or was that film just a dream? Anyway, rumour has it that the story has been a little bent so then this version becomes canon but hopefully one day Venom and Spidey will cross paths.

I swear to god Venom was voiced by Frank Welker, the whole film I could not stop comparing the voice to Scooby Doo, and if there is anything in this world that I do know lots about it is Scooby Doo, but I cannot for the life of me find anything to support this. Despite this it did not make the character any less menacing even if to begin with Venom was supposed to be a villain and decides for now he wants to be a hero.

Another thing is how well Tom Hardy performed in the film, it takes real skill to act as convincingly as he did especially in the slightly madder moments of the film, however I still can’t get past how high his voice seemed and the weird accent, not sure if some hurried editing distorted it slightly or what.

I’ll be honest it was that long ago now that I can’t remember much of the film, it was good, very good, but the main story escapes me so I shall wrap this up. I rate Venom a venomous 7/10 for keeping me entertained and bringing such an interesting character to life. Maybe I will update this when I see it again but for now see it for yourself and let me know your verdict!

[lozhashersay]

Yay I'm all up to date!

Saturday night we went to go see The House With A Clock in its Walls, I've been getting serious Halloween vibes from this film and it's that time of year where everything is spooky and autumn is here and yesss all is good.

So I've been upset that the new goosebumps film was missing Jack Black but after seeing this film I don't care anymore. The House with a clock in its walls had the right amount of scary, fantasy, and general coming of age and humour to appeal to everyone, there wasn't a kid in my screening.

The film starts out with a little boy called Lewis moving in with his uncle after his parents pass away in a car accident. Soon he finds everything with the house and his new life is not so much as it seems, and like most children he is a little lonely so we follow his adventures learning magic and trying to make friends.

What I think is so important about this film is it shows that although you may have lost someone important you don't have to be alone. And this is something Lewis learns towards the end of the film, he is happy with his family of black (and purple) swans.

Honestly this is my new favourite film of the season and I beg you to go and watch it. It may seem a little cheesy with the whole magic house warlock clichés but that is what makes it fun! It really is such a refreshing film, it has everything you could want and just makes you feel cosy. It is definitely the type of film I want to be snuggled up when it's pouring down and watching. Seriously Halloween vibe fans check this out.

I rate The House With A Clock in its Walls a 10/10, I'm going to go and see it again when it is officially released and you all know my rule! Cate and Jack's acting is superb and I never expected them to be such an entertaining duo, and little Owen Vaccaro is one to watch he is very talented. Seriously, when this is released on Friday (UK) you had better all go see it.

[lozhashersay]

Okay now guys I'm almost up to date. 2 nights ago I finally worked up the courage to watch The Nun with my partner and a friend. Even though we had heard it was a pretty terrible film we decided we would see it for ourselves and this is how we got on...

From what I heard on the Internet I was prepped for a terrible narrative and scares that were shown in the trailer as they were the only decent bits. What I got was a narrative that I admit needed some work but was an interesting development to watch unfold and jump scares and just terrifying scenes that were somewhat new and yet were still predictable. This is what I love about horror films, if you don't throw in a few clichés is it even a horror?

There were some minor twists in the stories events, some that led onto the previous films to connect them all and some that were just down right terrifying as you realise what had happened all along. I can see why some people branded this as not making sense but if you think about it hard enough it's a very clever twist. I'll give a little context but not enough to count as a spoiler, sister Irene has psychic abilities, but more so than she realises, basically leading her line of reality to fade. A bit cryptic but I don't want to spoil this clever little twist.

I really really liked the scares in this film, we had some borderline Resident Evil looking nuns causing havoc, and plague bells, people being buried alive and obviously Valak to top it all off. If you are brave enough to watch it each sequence involving what is mentioned above, it is enough to give you goosebumps and is a different take on our recent horrors, some are maybe not enough to scare you outright but just enough to make you uneasy which is the desired effect.

I'll be honest The Nun wasn't as scary as I had hoped but it had just enough creep to it to unsettle me so not all is bad. I wanted to see it more for the origin story and how it all fits and that is exactly what we got so no loss there.

Overall I rate The Nun a 7/10, effects were good, scares were scary, and I drove home seeing things from the corner of my eye. A film not to watch in the dark and avoid graveyards and spooky abbeys or just creepy nuns in general if you don't want to die.

Ps. It gave me such joy knowing the Farmiga sisters are connected now in these films. I don't know why.

[lozhashersay]

We are almost up to date with my reviews now.

I made a bet with my friend and my partner when we went to see this, whoever cries first owes the others a tenner. I'm glad to say it wasn't me and that the boys hit a tie and started bawling at the same time. There is no denying this film was going to break a few hearts, I just didn't realise how hard they would break.

I cried like a baby, although Christopher Robin was heartwarming and nostalgic it was also so damn sad.

The film starts off with Christopher basically neglecting his family and losing his roots, our beloved pooh appears just as Christopher needs him the most and reminds him of what is important throughout the film even though Christopher tries to push him away.

The film is very family orientated but I wouldn't really take any kids to see it, it's aimed at those who grew up with Pooh and friends and it really hits home to us oldies.

It's great to see the characters so alive again and to give them a new lease of life even if it's to hurt my soul because no one should be forgotten especially not pooh bear.

Overall I give Christopher Robin a 9/10 for making me cry but making me relive my childhood over again. Thank you pooh.