Giving Some Respect to Horror Films - Some New Ones You Might Enjoy!

[I review the horror films "The Substance," "Abigail," and "Night Swim"]

I think I have mentioned this before but in case you missed it, I enjoy the occasional horror film, and I don't feel that the horror film genre gets the respect it deserves. 

Did you know that only one horror film has ever won an Oscar for Best Picture and that was "The Silence of the Lambs," way back in 1992, and one could argue that is really not a horror film. Yes, some horrific scenes but not a horror film in the classic sense.  Likewise, few horror films have won awards for acting and only three for visual effects.  Even with wonderful visual effects, horror films are often written off as low art and second-rate, when in fact, they can be thought-provoking, cathartic, funny even, and often explore important themes such as mental health and racism and the sometimes scary thoughts that we have to deal with in our everyday lives, like what if you run into a zombie or your mother-in-law?  I kid.

But horror films fill a niche. Sometimes we just need a few jump scares to get us out of our comfort zones, shake us up a bit, and get us thinking.  Believe it or not, horror films often have a moral to the story that makes us go "Mmm."

So I am here to share with you some horror films that are worth watching for just those reasons.

The Substance (2024)

Not looking as youthful as you would like?  Well, why not make a younger version of yourself? Literally.

I think that Demi Moore has been one of our most underrated actresses.  Yes, she has starred in acclaimed movies like "Ghost" and "A Few Good Men," but no one has really raved about her acting.  And I don't think it helped that she was an early member of "The Brat Pack," a dismissive term coined by a journalist to put those upstart young actors in their place.

But now Demi gets her moment and what a moment it is, albeit a bit disturbing.

Elisabeth Sparkle (Moore) is an Oscar-winning actress with a star on Hollywood Boulevard.  Her acting career has waned and now she is the star of a long-running aerobics TV show (remind you of anyone?), but that star is also fading, and on her 50th birthday, she is unceremoniously fired from her show and Harvey (Dennis Quaid), her boss, makes no bones about the fact that he is firing her because she is OLD. 

While driving home, Elisabeth is in a major car crash. At the hospital, a young male nurse gives her a flash drive advertising "The Substance," a black market serum that generates a "younger, more beautiful, more perfect" version of oneself. After some deliberation, Elisabeth orders "The Substance" and injects the single-use activator serum, resulting in a much younger version of herself that emerges from a slit in her back in what I would say was one of the most disturbing film moments since that little creature burst out of John Hurt's chest in "Alien."

So now there is Elisabeth and her younger version, Sue (Margaret Qualley).  For this to work, Elisabeth must transfer her consciousness between the bodies every seven days without exception, while the inactive body remains unconscious. The other self also requires daily injections of a "stabilizer" to prevent deterioration. 

Wouldn't you know, Elisabeth's "other self," Sue, gets Elisabeth's old aerobics TV show and the new TV show skyrockets her to fame, and she is eventually selected to host a major New Year's Eve show. Sue enjoys a confident and hedonistic lifestyle, while Elisabeth becomes more and more reclusive.

And Sue wants to continue her happy life so she is more and more reluctant to play by the rules and one night gives Elisabeth extra stabilizer fluid to keep her asleep longer.  When Elisabeth awakes, she finds that her finger has aged.  When she calls the supplier to complain, she is warned that staying as Sue longer than the seven days will result in rapid aging of her original self.  And even though the two entities are supposed to be one, both personas see themselves as separate and start to resent each other.  

You can see where this is going. All hell breaks loose in what could be described as gut wrenching - again, literally.  If you have a squeamish stomach, the blood and guts that ensue might upset you.  But, hey, it's a horror film.

All kinds of horror films are referenced here from Sue being a sort of Frankenstein's monster to a bloody moment reminiscent of "Carrie" to a long hallway that keeps showing up reminding us of "The Shining" to Elisabeth's body aging as Sue gets stronger, hints of "The Picture of Dorian Gray."

All of this and more is thanks to the gifts of Coralie Fargeat, who wrote the screenplay and directed this in-your-face reminder of how women are objectified and told "Pretty girls should always smile," and when they reach a certain age and are no longer considered "pretty," especially in the world of show business, they are often invisible and discarded. And when I say, in-your-face, the close-ups Fargeat chooses are mesmerizing and add to the horror.  More and more, this kind of camera work is being used to create tension in films and it works.  

As for Demi, I couldn't help but wonder what she was thinking making this film as a no-longer-young movie star herself, dealing with the same issues as Elisabeth. Though she still looks great, she is no longer the young in-demand ingenue she once was as fewer and fewer roles are available to women of a certain age in Hollywood. She also lost her much younger husband to a much younger actress, so I couldn't help but wonder if playing this role was liberating or depressing?  But I give Demi credit for letting herself "age" in the film, and I would say her fantastic performance is her revenge, and I hope an Oscar nomination is in the cards for her. Margaret Qualley, the daughter of Andie MacDowell, is also wonderful in this.  She has never looked more beautiful.

I have to say that the film is a bit too long and the ending is horrifically over the top - kind of lost me - and I think I said out loud, "Oh my God!"  But hey, it's a horror film. And speaking of Oscars, the make-up people should get nominations.  When you watch the ending, you will know what I mean.

So what's the moral? There is an obsession with youth and beauty and women are held to a standard they can't live up to and trying to stave off aging by making a deal with the devil can be a horror story.

Rosy the Reviewer says...if you like psychological horror, this is for you because it will definitely get in your head (but brace yourself for some stomach-churning scenes). (For rent of purchase on Amazon Prime or Apple+)

Abigail (2024)

Be careful who you kidnap!

Young ballet dancer Abigail's (Alisha Weir) father is Kristof Lazaar (Matthew Goode), a powerful crime lord.  She is abducted by a band of baddies consisting of Joey (Melissa Barrera), a former Army medic and recovering drug addict; Frank (Dan Stevens), a former NYPD detective; Sammy (Kathryn Newton), a hacker born into money who is just into crime for the thrills; Rickles (William Catlett), a former Marine; the not-too-bright Peter (Kevin Durand); and psychopath, Dean (Angus Cloud).  They take Abigail to a creepy, secluded mansion where they meet Lambert (Giancarlo Esposito), the mastermind behind the plan to ransom Abigail for $50 million.  You might make the connection between the baddies names. No one is supposed to know each other's real names so Lambert names each of them after members of Sinatra's Rat Pack.

Joey is chosen to watch over Abigail. She feels sorry for Abigail and bonds with her, promising Abigail that she will protect her. Abigail shares that her father doesn't really care about her and will not pay the ransom. Joey no longer likes the kidnapping plan because she didn't realize that Abigail was a child.  Uh-oh. There is also something else about Abigail she didn't realize.

When Dean is attacked and Sammy finds Dean's decapitated corpse (and it's not pretty), the group realizes that their hiding place has been discovered and they think that Lazaar's famed enforcer, Valdez, is inside the house (he was famous for mutilation and decapitation). Rickles decides he is outta there but when he tries to leave, they realize they are trapped.  

And then Abigail reveals her real self and her revenge plot.

Let the vampire violence and mutilation begin!

Alisha Weir's face is soulful and poignant until it's not. Each member of the ensemble cast has a different role that provides drama as well as comic relief and you mostly care as each one is killed off in a creative way a la Agatha Christie's "And Then There Were None" plot device.  Well, almost all of them are killed off.  It's fun to see Dan Stevens who was my favorite "Downton Abbey" character (he was Matthew Crawley). He seems to have made a career for himself playing villains and in this - geez - he is about as far from Matthew Crawley as one could get.

Written by Stephen Shields and Guy Busick and directed by Matt Bettinelli-Olpin and Tyler Gillett, the film is slow to get going by horror movie standards, but once it does get going, it's non-stop scary moments and over-the-top blood and gore for the next hour. Though the plot gets very convoluted, the ballet theme mixed in with the blood and guts is fun and the film provides tense moments and solid production values that make for a satisfying, if grisly, experience that fans of vampire horror films will enjoy. But it was intense. I actually put my hands over my face a couple of times and when the first body blew up into blood and guts, I said "Ick" and when the second one did the same thing I said, "Oh my God" out loud, and I was all by myself. But I definitely had a bit of catharsis!

So what's the moral?  Sometimes good deeds are rewarded and some exploding bodies can provide catharsis, especially in these challenging times.

Rosy the Reviewer says...if you like your horror with some blood and gore as well as funny banter, this is for you! (Peacock)

Night Swim (2024)

A new thing to worry about.  Murderous pools!

In 1992, a young girl, Rebecca Summers (Ayazhan), goes out to her family pool one night to retrieve a toy boat belonging to her sick little brother. While she tries to get the boat, something in the pool pulls her underwater.

Flash forward to the present day, the Waller family—Ray (Wyatt Russell), Eve (Kerry Condon), and children Izzy (Amelie Hoeferle) and Elliot (Gavin Warren)—move to a new neighborhood after Ray has been forced to retire from his baseball career due to MS. They decide to purchase a house with a swimming pool in the backyard, especially after hearing that the pool would be good for Ray’s condition. Gee. Do you think it's the same pool where little Rebecca was pulled under the water and died?

Duh.  

As he spends more time in the pool as part of his therapy, Ray seems to be getting better, but at the same time, Ray's personality is changing and he is acting strangely and there also seems to be something scary in the pool attacking the children. At this point, I would think Ray and Eve should have a conversation about moving. Instead, they have a pool party, that, well, doesn't go well. And then they learn about little Rebecca. 

Tracking down the Summers family, Eve meets with Lucy (Jodi Long), Rebecca's mother. Lucy reveals the pool's malevolent history.  

So what will happen? 

This is your typical "family in jeopardy" horror film, but it's also a sort of "Jaws" but for pools.  And I thought I was afraid of water because I couldn't swim. Never worried about murderous pools.

Written and directed by Bryce McGuire and produced by my favorite horror producer, Jason Blum and his crew at Blumhouse Productions, whose films run the gamut from glossy, high budget scary films starring big names ("Get Out") to comedy horror ("Happy Death Day") to low-budget films starring relative unknowns like this one (though Russell is Goldie Hawn's and Kurt Russell's son and Condon was an Oscar nominee for her performance in "The Banshees of Inisherin"), this one is 99 minutes of suspense, fun jump scare moments (you might never want to play Marco Polo again) and great underwater photography. Blum is a genius at producing films that turn the normal, everyday lives of people into horror stories.

So what's the moral?  Sometimes you have to make sacrifices for those you love...big ones.

Rosy the Reviewer says... if you can't stomach children in jeopardy, this one might be a difficult one for you, but hey...it's a horror film...you are supposed to be creeped out!  And now here is something new to be scared of.  Demon pools! (Amazon Prime)

See you next time!

If you enjoyed this post, feel free to like it and share it on Facebook, X, or other sites; email it to your friends and/or follow me on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/rosythereviewer where I share short reviews about TV shows I am watching, books I am reading and all sorts of other fun stuff that doesn't appear here!

And next time you are wondering whether or not to watch a particular film, check out my reviews on IMDB (The International Movie Database). Go to IMDB.com, find the movie you are interested in.  Scroll over to the right of the synopsis to where it says "Critics Reviews" - Click on that and if I have reviewed that film, you will find Rosy the Reviewer alphabetically on the list (NOTE:  IMDB keeps moving stuff around so if you don't find "Critics Reviews" where I am sending you, look around.  It's worth it)!

 

"Beetlejuice Beetlejuice" and the Month in Movie Reviews

[I review the new movie "Beetlejuice Beetlejuice" as well as "Woman of the Hour" and "Jackpot!"]

Beetlejuice Beetlejuice (2024)

After 36 years, Beetlejuice and Lydia Deetz are back!

I don't know why I keep doing this to myself. Einstein supposedly said "The definition of insanity is doing the same thing over and over and expecting different results."  I guess I am insane because I keep watching movie sequels thinking they will be good and they never are.  And this one is no exception.

Yes, it's fun to see Michael Keaton chewing the scenery again, and yes, Tim Burton is a fine director, and yes, Winona Ryder is aging well, and yes, the production values are first rate as is Danny Elfman's music. You would think all of that would make for a fine movie, right? Wrong.  Even though I saw the first film, it's been 36 years, and with little exposition to remind me what went on that long ago, I didn't know what the hell was going on most of the time. It was a mess.

But here is what I think was going on.

Michael Keaton is back as Beetlejuice, Winona Ryder is back as Lydia Deetz and Catherine O'Hara is back as Delia Deetz, Lydia's stepmother. Winona is no longer the goth teen that the demon, Beetlejuice (Keaton), was obsessed with.

Lydia now hosts a supernatural TV talk show called Ghost House. While taping an episode, Lydia hallucinates seeing Beetlejuice in the audience.  He was not just obsessed with her 36 years ago, he tried to marry her and it looks like he is back. (If I have already lost you, best to see the first Beetlejuice movie).

Then Lydia's stepmother, Delia, informs Lydia that her father, Charles, has died in a gruesome accident. They and Lydia's daughter, Astrid (Jenna Ortega), return to Winter River, Connecticut, the site of the first film, to attend the funeral. Sadly, Astrid and Lydia are not getting along, reprising the same mother/daughter theme in the first film. At the wake, Rory (Justin Theroux), Lydia's boyfriend and producer, pressures her to marry him on Halloween and she reluctantly agrees. Meanwhile, Astrid meets a local boy named Jeremy Frazier (Arthur Conti), who invites her to spend Halloween with him but Jeremy is not all he seems.

Meanwhile, Beetlejuice is still obsessed with Lydia.  He currently runs an office filled with shrunken-headed ghosts, most particularly his assistant, the overworked and disrespected, Bob (one of my favorite characters, by the way).

Then there is a murderous woman on the loose who turns out to be Delores (Monica Bellucci), Beetlejuice's former wife, who sucks the souls of the dead as she searches for Beetlejuice for revenge.  She supposedly tried to kill him back in the day, but he killed her first, but if that was ever explained in the film, I certainly missed it.  I didn't know what that was all about and her character seemed an unnecessary distraction. Willem Dafoe is also on hand as Wolf Jackson, a ghost detective who is another character trying to track down Beetlejuice and was also an unnecessary distraction.

But then Astrid becomes endangered and Lydia must summon Beetlejuice to help her save Astrid. There is an ascent into the Afterlife with a funny bit regarding "The Soul Train" - get it?  In the Afterlife you get on the Soul Train?  Yuck, yuck.  (but does anyone remember that show?), but that was actually a highlight.  But then it all went to hell, literally. 

Still with me?

Rory also turns out to be something other than what we thought; Beetlejuice coerces Lydia into a marriage ceremony; Delores arrives to seek revenge and, then, what? A huge sandworm shows up. Sigh. And there is a sort of a cliffhanger at the end of the film, which could spell another sequel?  Please stop.

Like I said, Tim Burton is a wonderful director and the film has great special effects and a wonderful fantasy look to it. Keaton is fun to watch but he doesn't appear as much in the film as you think he would since it's Beetlejuice times two (though he is in it more than he was in the first one). But the screenplay by Alfred Gough and Miles Millar is a chaotic mish-mash that is often hard to follow, even if you could remember the first film. Remember, it's been 36 years since the first film, and for those who missed that one (some potential viewers weren't even born yet), there was really little explanation about who Beetlejuice actually was and why he was obsessed with Lydia. Add to that all kinds of plot elements, there was so much going on, I found myself saying "Huh?" a lot. 

Here is my final word on sequels (or let's hope it's my final word. You never know).  

For a sequel to work, the audience needs some exposition about what happened before, if necessary, and then the story should be able to stand on its own. I should be able to enjoy the film and know what is going on even if I had not seen the earlier film(s)?  But that said, god save me from the insanity of watching another sequel expecting it to work!

Rosy the Reviewer says...if you are a huge Michael Keaton fan or you need a Halloween distraction, you might enjoy this, but better yet, save your money, skip this one and watch the first one again. (For rent or purchase on Amazon Prime and Apple+)

Woman of the Hour (2023)

Who knew you could meet a serial killer on a dating show?

This may come as a shock to you but many of the contestants on dating shows and other "reality" TV shows are often aspiring actors.  Duh.  I am being sarcastic.  Of course you know that.

Well, Cheryl Bradshaw (Anna Kendrick) was just such a woman, living in L.A. in the 1970's trying to make it as an actress but with little success. She could barely pay her rent and had a creepy neighbor, her only friend in L.A., sniffing around. So when her agent booked her to make a little money and get some exposure on "The Dating Game," she jumped at the chance. 

Now you young-uns out there have probably never heard of that show but during the 60's and 70's it was a big prime time hit. It was the first of many shows created by Chuck Barris (who was probably more famous for "The Gong Show") and possibly the beginning of the wave of dating shows we now have such as "Love is Blind" and "Love Island (I could go on and on because I watch them all)." 

On "The Dating Game," a young attractive woman would question three eligible bachelors who were hidden from her view.  She would ask silly questions like "If I were a flavor of ice cream, what flavor would I be?" -  and the guys would answer provocatively. At the end of the questioning period, she would choose one to accompany her on an all expenses paid date. Occasionally, the roles would be reversed with a guy questioning three women.  Believe it or not, Sally Field, Farrah Fawcett, Burt Reynolds and many other famous folks appeared on the show before they became famous.

And then along came Rodney Alcala, a real life serial killer.

In 1978, Alcala, played here by Daniel Zovatto, was a contestant on "The Dating Game" and host Jim Lange introduced him as a "successful photographer...Between takes you might find him skydiving or motorcycling." No mention that he had already murdered a couple of women. He was Bachelor #3. Little did Lange know that Alcala used his photography persona to lure young women and kill them. Alcala was already on the road to become one of our most famous serial killers, eventually convicted of seven murders but believed to have been responsible for the deaths of over 100 women. Guess game shows didn't do background checks in those days.

During the show, Cheryl isn't taken seriously and encouraged to be sexy and brainless.  In the audience is Laura (Nicolette Robinson) who recognizes Alcala as the last man to see her friend alive before she was murdered.  She tries to report Alcala but, like Cheryl, isn't taken seriously.

And wouldn't you know.  Alcala wins the date with Cheryl and the date is a visit to Carmel (my local friends will appreciate that). So does Cheryl go on the date?  Was she Alcala's next victim?

Written by Ian McDonald, in addition to starring in the film, this is Anna Kendrick's directorial debut, and it is Cheryl Bradshaw's true story. The film begins with Alcala's murderous path before making it on the show and then the aftermath. There is some scary insight as to how these serial killers lure young women. They can appear normal, charming even. 

Kendrick is a wonderful actress, but she also shows promise as a director. Her directorial choices were very interesting with dramatically framed close-ups and interspersing Cheryl's journey with Alcala's until they connected on the show produced a taut, engrossing drama. Other performances were also great, especially Daniel Zovatto creepily perfect as Alcala, showing that serial killers often have a certain charm that allows them to lure their victims. And the 70's retro vibe will bring back memories to Baby Boomers. 

Where most true crime thrillers focus on the killer, and we learn little about his victims, this film focuses on some of the women.  It is a comment on how young women, especially back in the day, were/are often discounted, surrounded by misogyny, even potential violence and made to shut-up and play nice.

Rosy the Reviewer says...the dark side of a game show and here it's a metaphor for the often scary world women have to "play nice" in. True crime aficionados and those who just like good movies will enjoy this fast-moving inside look into the mind of a real-life serial killer. Recommended. (Netflix)

Jackpot (2024)

It's 2030 and California is having money problems so the government initiates a "Grand Lottery" that allows losing ticket holders to go after the winner and if they kill the winner before sundown they get the jackpot!

So this is a sort of comedy version of "The Purge," but I wish it had been more of a comedy.  You know, a comedy is supposed to be funny.  But to be fair, after the first hour, it got better. Not really funnier, but better. 

So like I said, it's 2030, California is in financial trouble so the government creates the Grand Lottery, where each Lottery Day, the winner must survive until sundown to win the prize while anyone with a losing ticket can kill that person to claim the prize.  But no guns!

Former child actor Katie Kim (Awkwafina) is not doing well making it in show biz and inadvertently enters and wins the lottery. Suddenly she is being attacked everywhere she goes until she meets Noel Cassidy (John Cena), a freelance Lottery protection agent, who offers his services in exchange for ten percent of her winnings. Noel is actually a good guy.  He gives what he earns away to victims. This is how Katie describes him: "He looks like a bulldog a witch put a spell on and turned him into a human against his will." Okay, that was kind of funny. Cena does kind of look like that.

But then Noel and Katie run into some problems, so Noel calls a fellow lottery winner protector, Louis Lewis (Simu Liu), who has a very big company and who agrees to protect Katie in exchange for him and Noel each receiving 30% of Katie's winnings.

But as happens in these kinds of films, Lewis is not what he appears.  He is a bad guy and the rest of the movie involves Katie and Noel trying to extricate themselves from Lewis while at the same time keeping Katie alive from the hoards of people trying to kill her for her prize money. 

Written by Rob Yescombe and directed by Paul Feig ("Bridesmaids"), what I thought was a funny premise proved to be a one note idea that was too weak to carry a 103 minute film, but because I was an Awkwafina fan ever since she made a big splash in "Crazy Rich Asians," and I was happy she got a starring gig, I decided to suspend disbelief and go with it. The film meant well, and even though the first hour was non-stop violence, mayhem and wisecracks (and did I say, not funny?), the second part of the film got better and there was actually a bit of character development, but not enough to save this movie. And I got weary of the butt jokes. Likewise, if you hang for the credits, there are bloopers that also get wearying.

Rosy the Reviewer says...there is a moral here: there are good people in the world who don't just care about money (good to know in this divisive era), but there is also a moral here when it comes to comedies.  They should be funny. I was disappointed, but if you like silly violence, this is for you, but otherwise, make a run for it! (Amazon Prime)

Thanks for reading!

See you next time!

If you enjoyed this post, feel free to like it and share it on Facebook, X, or other sites; email it to your friends and/or follow me on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/rosythereviewer where I share short reviews about TV shows I am watching, books I am reading and all sorts of other fun stuff that doesn't appear here!

And next time you are wondering whether or not to watch a particular film, check out my reviews on IMDB (The International Movie Database). Go to IMDB.com, find the movie you are interested in.  Scroll over to the right of the synopsis to where it says "Critics Reviews" - Click on that and if I have reviewed that film, you will find Rosy the Reviewer alphabetically on the list (NOTE:  IMDB keeps moving stuff around so if you don't find "Critics Reviews" where I am sending you, look around.  It's worth it)!

"A Quiet Place: Day One" and the Month in Movie Reviews

[I review the movies "A Quiet Place: Day One," "Blink Twice" and "Will and Harper."]

A Quiet Place: Day One (2024) 

They are BAAAACK!!!  - those creepy blind aliens with the ultra-sensitive hearing we got to know in the first two "Quiet Place" films.

I think you know how I feel about sequels.  I have griped about them here many times.  Now may I add prequels to that list of "Ick?" This is supposedly a prequel to the first two in the franchise.  I enjoy the occasional horror film and since I saw the first two and am a loyal movie watcher, I succumbed.  Sorry I did.

Sam (Lupita Nyong'o) is a terminally ill cancer patient living in a hospice outside New York City. She has a rather bad attitude but, hey, I get it.  She is dying.  She and her fellow patients are taken on a trip to the City to see a marionette show, but Sam insists that they also get pizza. Sam takes her cat, Frodo, along, too. Who takes her cat to a show?  Anyway, while there, it becomes apparent that something bad is happening.  Announcements are made from military helicopters warning civilians to stay silent and remain hidden.  An invasion of some nasty creatures has begun.

These creatures are bloodthirsty but blind.  However, they can hear the very slightest sound.  Thank goodness, they can't swim so people are being rescued onto boats.  Sam becomes separated from her group and even from Frodo but is eventually reunited with Frodo and meets Eric (Joseph Quinn), an English law student and the two, or three if you count Frodo, make their way to Harlem where, despite everything, Sam is determined to get some pizza. I mean she stays in the city despite it being full of bloodthirsty aliens, goes against the traffic heading to safety in the river and risks her life to get... PIZZA!  Huh?

Many encounters with the creatures ensue, with Sam and Eric trying to stay quiet.  There are the usual monster movie "gotcha moments" with some scary scenes but not enough to save this. 

I saw the first two installments and actually liked them, but this whole thing with sequels/prequels, has gotten out of hand. It seems that when a film is successful, the powers that be have to run the concept into the ground and wring it out for as much money as possible, and, in my humble opinion, that's what happened here.

With a screenplay by Michael Sarnoski and directed by him, there was an interesting premise - the dying young woman in a world where she is probably going to die - but I am also thinking this was supposed to be a blood-curdling adventure with some scary monsters.  It wasn't.  For me, it was a boring, irritating snooze fest with the same old monster horror tropes at play. Zzzzz.  Even the cat irritated me. And don't get me started on that whole need to get pizza no matter what. Usually in movies like this, the heroes and heroines stay in danger to save other people but...pizza? But then, there is a deeper meaning to the pizza, so I feel bad about bitching about it.   

But I have to ask...the title "Day One" implies there could be a "Day Two...or Three...or Four?"  God help us.

Rosy the Reviewer says...save your money.  However, if you don't believe me, are a big fan of this franchise and still want to see it, wait until it streams for free, unless you have Paramount+. (Available for free if you subscribe to Paramount+ and for rent on Prime and Apple+)

Blink Twice (2023)

When you are just a normal looking girl with a normal, boring life and a billionaire invites you to his private island, beware.

Frida (Naomi Ackie) is a nail artist (she likes animal themes) and a cocktail waitress but she is ready for a vacation. She is also a young woman who feels invisible and is star struck. She spends her time on Tik Tok envying the good life of tech mogul, Slater King (Channing Tatum).  However, he has fallen into disfavor and has had to say sorry and step down from his position with his company.  It is unclear what he has done, but he has stepped away from the spotlight and moved to his private island.

But wouldn't you know, he is trying to make amends by becoming a philanthropist and starting a foundation and it just so happens that Slater King's Foundation gala is at the restaurant where Frida works.  Frida and her friend, Jess (Alia Shawkat), insinuate themselves into the gala and meet Slater and he invites her and Jess to his private island.  Hey, Frida, here is your vacation.  Mmmm. 

The young girl who wants to live the dream is about to live a nightmare.

When the two arrive, there are others there: Slater's rather goofy assistant, Stacy (Geena Davis - where have you been?), who confiscates everyone's phones; photographer Vic (Christian Slater); private chef, Cody (Simon Rex); DJ, Tom (Haley Joel Osment); and young Lucas (Levon Hawke); as well as three other female guests: reality star, Sarah (Adria Anjona); app developer, Camilla (Liz Caribel); and lawyer, Heather (Trew Mullen).

All of the women are given lavish rooms, gift bags of perfume as well as food, drink and hallucinogenic drugs. Frida is dazzled by the first class treatment and the opulence.

So this is all well and good but nothing much happens in this movie for about 45 minutes until Jess is bitten by a snake and disappears and no one remembers her at all.  Then the maid seems to recognize Frida calling her "Red Rabbit" and all hell breaks loose and the twist is revealed. My favorite tag line is "Men are going to do what they're going to do.  Forgetting is a gift."

Written by Zoe Kravitz and E.T. Feigenbaum and directed by Kravitz, this is one of those movies about an invitation from a billionaire to go to a private island where bad things happen.  There are tons of these movies and TV series, such as the series "Murder at the End of the World" and the movie "The Menu," both of which I enjoyed. And even though it took forever for this one to get going, the reveal is revealing and a horrific ending ensues.  I enjoyed the last half, especially for the feminist theme and the female camaraderie, though the final scene was not believable. But I have to give props to Kravitz.  Female directors are hard to come by and this was a good directorial debut. I wish her great success.  

But Channing Tatum saved it for me. I have always been a big Channing Tatum fan, every since the early "Magic Mike."  I mean, ladies, he had some moves and is one handsome guy.  Here, he doesn't have a lot to do. Probably doing Zoe a favor.  She is his girlfriend, after all. But I enjoyed watching him. As for Ackie, she is not your usual leading lady but made a splash playing Whitney Houston in "Whitney Houston: I Wanna Dance With Somebody."

Okay, now a rant. The movie starts with a "Trigger Warning" - yes, that was the heading -  that the viewer is about to experience abuse and other "triggering" issues.  Is this now going to be a thing? Are we now so sensitive that we can't tell the difference between reality and a movie and need to be reminded...IT'S A MOVIE.  THIS ISN'T REAL!  When you see how this movie ends, it is difficult for me to get my head around anyone being triggered because they had a similar experience. Are we going to get "Trigger Warnings" now in horror films saying we are going to see horrible monsters ripping people's throats out because it might trigger us in case we have had that happen to us in the past?  Or even a Trigger Warning on a comedy that the movie might not be funny which might upset us because we have been disappointed in the past with comedies that weren't funny?  Geez. Give me a break. Not a fan.

Anyway, bottom line for this film...what my mother always used to say..."Don't wish for something. You just might get it."  "But you go, girls."  My mother didn't say that.  I did.   

Rosy the Reviewer says...and here is also what I say..."The evil that men do." (For rent on Prime and Apple+)

Will & Harper (2024)

Will Ferrell goes on a cross country road trip with his long-time friend, Harper, who has transitioned from a male to a female.  Harper has crossed the country by car many times as a male but now wants to see what it would be like as a female. Would she be accepted?

Will Ferrell met Harper Steele when she was Andrew Steele, a writer for "Saturday Night Live." Ferrell remembers him as a "lovable curmudgeon," with a crazy sense of humor.   One of the sketches Steele is known for is Ferrell as Robert Goulet.  They later co-wrote "Eurovision Song Contest: The Story of Fire Saga."

Longtime friends, they lost touch when the Pandemic hit but then Steele reached out to inform Ferrell and other friends that he had decided to go through gender transition, something he felt he should have done 40 years ago. So what do you do when your best friend tells you he is going to transition to becoming a female?  Why, you go on a road trip and make a documentary about it!

Steele had fond memories of the many times she had traveled cross country as a male, stopping in small towns at dive bars, hanging with the locals.  But that was then, when she was a male.  What would it feel like now as a female?  Would she be accepted?  "Will I still be loved?"

Directed by Josh Greenbaum, this film documents a 17-day road trip that Ferrell and Steele made, starting at SNL in New York City where they say hi to fellow SNL cast members and alums and then heading out across the country, stopping in small towns, meeting the locals, visiting the town Steele grew up in, visiting her sister, attending a Pacers game, and Will attempting to eat a 72 ounce steak in Amarillo, Texas, to name just a few of their adventures. There are also visits with SNL alums  Kristin Wiig, Will Forte and Molly Shannon. 

But the heart of this documentary is just the two of them - Will and Harper - as they interact in the car, asking each other questions and Harper shedding light on her journey, wondering whether the country she has loved so much as a man will love her back now as a woman. 

The film is funny and poignant and very real. Harper shares the feelings she has had all of her life and the fears she has had over this huge change in her life.  It's a documentary, a road trip, a geography lesson but mostly it offers insight into transitioning, something that is important now with so much acrimony surrounding identity issues.  But the film also shows another side of Ferrell.  This is not the goofy comedian we know and love.  Yes, he is still funny, but here he lets his friend take center stage. I have renewed respect for him.

Rosy the Reviewer says...an important, heartfelt story of Harper's transition but also the story of the transition of a heartfelt, important friendship. A must see! (Netflix)

Thanks for reading!

See you next time!

If you enjoyed this post, feel free to like it and share it on Facebook, X, or other sites; email it to your friends and/or follow me on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/rosythereviewer where I share short reviews about TV shows I am watching, books I am reading and all sorts of other fun stuff that doesn't appear here!

And next time you are wondering whether or not to watch a particular film, check out my reviews on IMDB (The International Movie Database). Go to IMDB.com, find the movie you are interested in.  Scroll over to the right of the synopsis to where it says "Critics Reviews" - Click on that and if I have reviewed that film, you will find Rosy the Reviewer alphabetically on the list (NOTE:  IMDB keeps moving stuff around so if you don't find "Critics Reviews" where I am sending you, look around.  It's worth it)!

Rosy the Reviewer - An Unlikely Sports Fan - Likes Some Sports Movies!

[I review "The Beautiful Game (football/soccer)," "The Boys in the Boat (rowing)," and  "The Iron Claw (wrestling)"]

The Beautiful Game (2024)

A fictionalized story about a soccer team playing in the Homeless World Cup.

Yes, this is a fictionalized story but the Homeless World Cup is a real thing. It is an annual football tournament (soccer to us Americans) that has been going on for two decades that advocates for and brings together homeless people, those in recovery and those who have been marginalized. And this British film shines a light on it.

We meet Vinny (Micheal Ward) at a kids' soccer game (sorry, my Brit friends. I know I am supposed to say football).  He is doing his own commentary on the game. He even goes so far as to join the game until an angry parent confronts him.

Mal Bradley (Bill Nighy), a once legendary but now retired soccer coach, arrives and extricates Vinny from the angry parent.  He introduces Vinnie to his "dream team," the team he is training for a trip to the Homeless World Cup in Rome.  Bradley recognizes Vinny's skills and invites him to join the team.  Vinny acts unimpressed and he insists he doesn't qualify, that he is not homeless.  His pride takes over, but Bradley leaves Vinnie his number.

Turns out that Vinny is not only homeless and lives in his car, he also had a brief football career, hence his footballer skills that Bradley noticed. But Vinny didn't make it as a soccer player and his life took a bad detour.

Vinny didn't really want any part of Bradley's team at first but eventually relents, and off they go to Rome. Vinny is impressed that the opening ceremony is almost like the Olympics with the event featuring teams of unhoused players from all over the world.   

We get to know the England team. They are a ragtag bunch and all have had their troubles. Nathan (Callum Scott Howells) is a perpetually optimistic ex-heroin addict; Cal (Kit Young) doesn't like Vinny coming onto the team and taking his place; Aldar (Robin Nazari) is a brilliant Syrian refugee constantly analyzing the game and trying to build a life in a new country; Jason (Sheyi Cole) is a rather meek guy and Kevin (Tom Vaughan-Lawlor) is the okay goal tender. But none of these guys really have skills.  Vinny does. And this is Vinny's story and it's also Bradley's story. Turns out Bradley had a connection to Vinny years ago.

So will the England team win?  Will Vinny find himself?

There is lots of soccer footage, though on a smaller scale than we are used to, but the film isn't just about football.  The film, written by Frank Cottrell-Boyce and directed by Thea Sharrock, is more about real life underdogs, people who have been marginalized, finding meaning for themselves through community and friendship and, yes, sport. 

The ensemble cast are believable and Bill Nighy is as charismatic as ever. I will watch him in anything.

So why is football (soccer) called "The Beautiful Game?"

The grace and flair of the sport; its inclusiveness; its unpredictability (lower ranked teams can beat higher ranked teams - and they do!); its simplicity - just a ball and the desire to play; and traditions passed down through generations that are a part of cultural identity.

This film embraces all of that.

Rosy the Reviewer says...if you are a soccer fan or if you believe that sport brings people together and unites them or you just like to root for underdogs, you will enjoy this heartwarming story and find it inspiring.  (Netflix)

The Boys in the Boat (2023)

The true and earnest story of the University of Washington's rowing team that won gold at the 1936 Olympics and how they did it.

Produced and directed by George Clooney, from a screenplay by Mark L. Smith and based on the book by the same name by Daniel James Brown, this is another one of those tales of an underdog sports team making it to the top, and despite some hokeyness from time to time, there is nothing like some good old-fashioned storytelling and some exciting races to get you rooting for your team.

The film begins with an elderly Joe Rantz (Ian McElhinney) watching his grandson rowing a fiberglass boat and, in flashback, we are back in 1936 and a young Joe (Callum Turner) is a poor engineering student at the University of Washington with no money and living in an abandoned car and worried about how he will come up with his tuition. Joe has been on his own since his mother died and his Dad abandoned him when he was 14. 

But then fellow struggling student Roger Morris (Sam Strike) tells Joe that the school's rowing team provides room and board and jobs. So why not? Despite not being rowers, the two try out and make the UW junior varsity team.  Turns out this is the year that coach Al Ulbrickson (Joel Edgerton) is under pressure to beat rival U.C. Berkeley and make it to the 1936 Olympics.

The JV team and the varsity team train together and the training is very, very tough but the JV team starts to outshine the varsity team and Coach Al risks his job to promote the JV team.  There are lots of exciting boat races as the team makes its way to the Olympics. 

So if you are not a sports fan, what makes this enjoyable? 

It's beautiful to look at, the races are exciting, the actors are engaging and it's all about rooting for the underdogs! Even though you know how this ends, it's the journey (I say that a lot)!

Rosy the Reviewer says...though at times overly sentimental, this is an inspirational film that you can't help but be moved by  -  don't miss the epilogue that features the real rowers. (Netflix)

The Iron Claw (2023)

Biopic about the Von Erich brothers, stars of professional wrestling in the 1980's, who were "cursed" by tragedy.

This is not a movie featuring fake wrestling which we have come to associate with professional wrestling.  This is the real thing.

Written and directed by Sean Durkin, the film begins with Fritz Von Erich (Holt McCallany), who dreamed of winning the NWA World Heavyweight Championship. So naturally he dreams of that for one of his sons.  Sadly, Jack Jr. died as a child but he pins his hopes on Kevin (Zac Efron), his good-hearted son; David (Harris Dickinson), the natural showman; the self-destructive, Kerry (Jeremy Allen White); and Mike (Stanley Simons), the youngest, who doesn't even want to wrestle, but rather play music. But he wants to please his Dad, who runs a tight ship with his sons, each vying to be the "favorite" as Fritz pits them against each other.  Fritz would declare which son was the favorite depending on who pleased him most at any given time.  

However, there seems to be a pall hanging over the family. The death of Jack Jr. is blamed on the "Von Erich curse," and sadly as the lives of these young men play out, one can't help but wonder if there is a curse, as accidents, illness and suicide follow them.

Fritz's signature name was "The Iron Claw," but it is also a metaphor for the hold wrestling had on the family and the tragedies that followed.

It's an excellent cast with a bulked up Zac Ephron and Jeremy Allen White (without his chef's apron) as standouts along with a really great 80's soundtrack, exciting wrestling footage and a poignant fantasy scene at the end when the brothers all meet again. I cried.

Rosy the Reviewer says...even if you are not a wrestling fan, you will be drawn into this powerful family drama and care about these brothers who just wanted above all else to please their curse of a father. 

Thanks for reading!

See you next time!

If you enjoyed this post, feel free to like it and share it on Facebook, X, or other sites; email it to your friends and/or follow me on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/rosythereviewer where I share short reviews about TV shows I am watching, books I am reading and all sorts of other fun stuff that doesn't appear here!

And next time you are wondering whether or not to watch a particular film, check out my reviews on IMDB (The International Movie Database). Go to IMDB.com, find the movie you are interested in.  Scroll over to the right of the synopsis to where it says "Critics Reviews" - Click on that and if I have reviewed that film, you will find Rosy the Reviewer alphabetically on the list (NOTE:  IMDB keeps moving stuff around so if you don't find "Critics Reviews" where I am sending you, look around.  It's worth it)!