Disclaimer: I wrote this in November but I only got to finish it by December. Not Halloween anymore but oh well.
It's Halloween Season 2025!
I like Halloween. It's not a huge deal where I live, compared to the US.
We do like to scare ourselves during this time though. Our local TV shows horror movies, programs telling ghost stories.
So I thought... Horror Movie Marathon!
This part will be covering recent horror movies, so if you see a title you want to watch and don't want to be spoiled, click away.
Until Dawn (2025)
A year after Melanie goes missing, her friends set out to find answers - only to get stuck fighting mysterious killers to the death over and over again.
Starring: Ella Rubin, Michael Cimino, Odessa A'zion, Ji-young Yoo, Belmont Cameli, Maia Mitchell, Peter Stormare
Directed by: David F. Sandberg
This is Groundhog Day/Happy Death Day x The Hills Have Eyes?
I haven't played the video games. But from what I read this is basically sort of a sequel? Set in the same universe, and there are references to the video game.
I'm not spoiling anything for this one.
Jump scares are decent, and I was watching some parts in 1.5x speed.
Rating: 5/10
Horror factor: 5/10
Rewatch? Nope.
Final thoughts:
Plot wise, it's decent. It's based on the video game but it's supposed to be a standalone. But I dunno, I have a loooot of questions.
Acting is okay.
Nightbitch (2024)
A woman pauses her career to be a stay-at-home mom, but her new domesticity takes a surreal turn.
Starring: Amy Adams, Scoot McNairy, Arleigh Snowden, Emmett Snowden, Zoë Chao, Mary Holland, Archana Rajan, Jessica Harper
Directed by: Marielle Heller
She seems... dissatisfied with being a mom. I get it, it's a boring routine. But what do I know? I'm not a mom so I can't relate to this.
Yeah, I don't think I can be a mom.
So instead of a midlife crisis, this mother turns into a dog.
I love Amy's hair so much.
The teaser is basically the plot. Nothing else for me to summarize.
In terms of husbands, he's not so bad. He's open minded and tries to listen (even if he fails.) They do need to communicate better. I've always had that said to me. "I can't read your mind." But I'm pretty sure you can feel. Especially if this guy had a stay at home mom and her mother before her. Guys can't read minds but I'm sure initiative exists? But kudos to them for knowing what was lacking and trying to fix it before it tore them apart.
It's also nice to have some friends when you're older. Her mom friends at the Book Babies end up supporting her at the end.
Rating: 6/10
Rewatch? Probably not.
Horror factor: 1/10
Final thoughts:
Storywise, it's okay. I haven't read the book but like I said, it's like reading a woman's midlife crisis. So I don't see the horror here.
Amy Adams is stellar as always.
Weapons (2025)
When all but one child from the same class vanish on the same night at 2:17 a.m., a community is left questioning who is behind their disappearance.
Starring: Josh Brolin, Julia Garner, Alden Ehrenreich, Austin Abrams, Cary Christopher, Benedict Wong, Amy Madigan
Directed by Zach Cregger
First minute and I'm struggling to focus. What's happening here?
Kids are missing. Got it. Nobody knows what happened to them.
I get that the narration is from a child's POV but so far, I'm bored.
They're blaming the elementary school teacher.
Wong probably got tired of cleaning messes up and just became an elementary school principal.
Justine has a lot of boundary issues.
Ah. I get it. This is a non-linear storyline with different POVs.
I'm having a hard time trying to take Josh Brolin's scared face seriously.
The kids are Naruto running. I'm sorry but it just makes me laugh.
Oh no Wong became a zombie. Was that whole black goo vomit in the mouth necessary?
Okay, so far here's how I understand the story: 17 kids are missing from Justine Gandy's class, except for Alex. She has drinking issues, the town hates her now, and she meets up with her ex Paul, who is a police officer. (They totally screwed. Lol I was right. To be fair Paul told her they weren't together anymore?) Archer is one of the kid's dads and he's trying to find out the truth himself because the police are useless. Paul gets himself pricked while searching this drug addict James.
That's the story so far... I think.
Now we have the two leads working together after Wong becomes roadkill. Justine realizes that Alex is involved after all.
Poor kid. What a smart kid too. Pretty funny to see Archer's precious son Matthew bullying Alex. Archer you bad dad.
It's implied Gladys is almost more than a century old and is using other people's lifeforce to stay alive.
Even if Justine has boundary issues and is a functional alcoholic, she was the only one who noticed that Alex wasn't doing okay. Like are all the adults in this town dumb or...? A kid has been doing some grocery shopping by himself, the parents haven't been seen in months and they just believed this Pennywise looking woman that Alex's parents are ill?
We're all caught up. Paul and James were doomed once they stepped inside the house. Archer and Justine are waiting and planning on what to do, until Justine recognizes Paul.
Final confrontation scene, everyone.
Justine has to shoot her ex and James to save Archer. Gladys gets the drop on him. Alex decides enough is enough and does the spell himself, using the 17 kids.
I WASN'T AWARE THIS WAS A HORROR COMEDY BECAUSE OH MY GOD THE SCENE WHERE GLADYS GETS CHASED BY A BUNCH OF RABID CHILDREN WHILE EVERYONE JUST FREAKING WATCHES AND STARES GOT ME CACKLING SO HARD. HELP I'M STILL LAUGHING AFTER FIVE MINUTES
Alex's parents are still catatonic, and some of the kids are just beginning to recover. Aww.
Rating: 7/10 (You don't have to agree with me.)
Horror factor: 4/10
Final thoughts:
I read the overwhelmingly positive reviews. I think it's well made but not just my horror cup of tea. I view it as a horror comedy rather than a horror mystery. I think the child actor who played Alex did a good job, and Amy Madigan gave a wonderful performance as the watch.
Also I just learned today that Sara Paxton is married to the director Zach Cregger.
I did expect more based from the trailer.
It's not a big review as I'd like but I've been quite busy lately. Hopefully I get more time to watch to review something.
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