Anthony T's Movie Reviews: Immaculate

In the first edition of Anthony T's Movie Reviews, he reviews the latest independent chiller "Immaculate" which is currently in cinemas. The controversial religious themed horror film starring one of Hollywood's up and coming actress Sydnee Sweeney (Anyone But You, Madame Web) has been getting a lot of buzz for the film and for Sweeney's performance. But does, Anthony T join in on the hype on this film or not.

To hear this thoughts on the film, you can goto: https://youtu.be/bd0vbWUTxu4

"Immaculate": Official Trailer

Anthony T's Movie Reviews: Immaculate

Anthony T's Horror & Wrestling Show: Episode 93 - AEW Revolution 2023 and "Scream VI" Reviews

It's a review heavy episode of Anthony T's Horror and Wrestling Show but before the reviews, he has an issue with Eli Roth casting a TikTok star in his latest film "Thanksgiving". Then it's all reviews as he first reviews AEW's Revolution 2023 in which might be the best wrestling event of 2023 and we're only in March. Afterwards, he reviews one of his most anticipated films of 2023 "Scream VI" as he wonders if Radio Silence's all or nothing approach hits the jackpot or bankrupts the franchise.

Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/anthony-ts-horror-and-wrestling-show/id1528866711?i=1000604371238

Google Podcasts: Coming Soon

Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/episode/6Ranflzr7UllonHHo43IiE?si=pIp92gzeSgG8ePUb5C6OKA

Stitcher: https://play.stitcher.com/episode/300619930

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Audacy: https://www.audacy.com/podcast/anthony-ts-horror-and-wrestling-show-9d48c/episodes/anthony-ts-horror-wrestling-show-episode-093-aews-revolution-2023-scream-vi-aabd7

MP3:https://www.darkdiscussions.com/podcasts/anthony-ts-horror-wrestling-show-episode-093-aews-revolution-2023-scream-vi/

Youtube: https://youtu.be/q5I4CjExv10

Anthony T"s Horror and Wrestling Show can be found on Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, Spotify, Stitcher, Youtube, Darkdiscussions.com and other podcast platforms.

"I'm Totally Fine" Review by Anthony T

Anthony T, I'm back with another review here as I move away from the horror genre and review indie comedy "I'm Totally Fine".

The film is about a woman (Jillian Bell) who is grieving the loss of her best friend. She decides to take a trip  to get away from the problems that have been plaguing her. Her vacation plans get derailed when her dead best friend (Natalie Morales) comes back as an alien has taken over her dead body and wants to study her.  Soon, her vacation becomes out of this world as they begin to form a bond with the alien in this dark comedy.

Sometimes a trailer catches your attention that you want to see this film. When seeing the trailer for "I'm Totally Fine". it was one of those films that caught my attention as I had a feeling that this was going to be one of those that I would like. Thankfully, I was right on that assumption.

One of the reasons why this was very good was the directing. Director Brandon Dermer does a very good job making sure that he makes the film moves at a very good pace. He does a very good job in the way that he handles each of the film's scenes as they never had a sense that they were dragging whether it's in the way he directs the two actresses or the way he approached it. It made the running time move by.. The other thing that I liked about Dermer's directing was that he was able to direct his main actresses Jillian Bell and Natalie Morales. He does a great job making sure that both actresses had very good chemistry with each other as almost all of this film is centered around those two actresses in one location. It made their performances very good as I was into each of their characters. 

The other reason why this movie succeeds is the screenplay written by Alisha Ketry. What makes Ketry's screenplay good was it does a couple of things. First, the screenplay does a very good job balancing out all the comedy and dramatic aspects. This is one of those films that deals with the loss of someone close while also trying to be a comedy and sci-fi film at the same time. The film does a good job walking that fine line as it didn't get over the top one way or the other plus the humor in this film was very good. The other thing that makes this good was the fact that the film does a very good job focusing on the two main characters throughout the whole film. Ketry does a very good job making sure that the characters are developed. It made the two main characters interesting as it focused on their strange relationship as if that element didn't work then the screenplay would have suffered. Thankfully, it didn't as the dynamic between the two main characters is one of the best things in the film.

This is one of those comedies that people should go out of their way to check as this does a great job balancing elements of drama and comedy. "I'm Totally Fine" is worth checking out as this has very good humor and very good direction.

"Don't F*** in the Woods 2" Review by Anthony T

There have been a lot of horror films coming out this month. You have the major horror films like "Terrifier 2". "Hellraiser" and "Halloween Ends" that I've been looking forward to . There are some very underground horror films that I've been looking to see that come out this month including "The Barn Part 2", "10/31 Part 3" and this one "Don't F*** in the Woods 2". That's right, "Don't F*** in the Woods 2".

The film picks up after the events of the first film where the sole survivor stumbles upon a camp where a group of camp counselors are partying before opening of the camp season. Soon the parasitic monster follows the girl there and forces the camp counselors to her fight this monster who is attracted to sex.

The film stars Brittany Blanton, Cheyenne Gordon, Julie Anne Prescott, Kaylee Williams, Mark Justice, and Jason Crowe.

I had a very good deal of expectation with this film ever since discovering the first film through various websites and really loving that film. Sadly I didn't love the film, I thought it was a f***ing intense blast from start to finish and this does a great job expanding from the first film.

What makes this film very good was the direction of Shawn Burrett. I liked the fact that this film had the same debauchery tone from the first film while adding some tension in the action department. It kept the film moving very well as I was into the gory effects as they were more gorier than the first film and liked the story better than the first film. Both of those elements that were approved upon from the first film. The other thing that I liked was the fact that Burrett does a very good job making sure he directs his cast to the point that they have chemistry with each other. I liked how he made sure that each of the cast was into the script and the way that he directed their performances as the characters come off as fun and not annoying as this film mostly relies on the new cast for mostly half of it.

The screenplay written by Burkett and co-star Cheyenne Gordon does a great job making sure that if you loved the first film, you'll love the second film. One of the things that makes it very good is the way that it doesn't rush its way to the action. I liked how the writers spent the first half of the film developing the new characters. Most horror sequels, you'll get to the main action in the first ten or fifteen minutes of the film without any build. This film builds to the main action as it also spends a good amount of time introducing the new characters and building tension. It made this film entertaining and gave the action time to breathe. The other thing that I liked about this was it keeps in line with the story of the first film. This film takes place after the events of the first film where some sequels taking place after the first film don't stay from the original story of the first film. I liked the fact that it stays that course very well as this does a very good job diving more into the creature of the first film while also keeping the fun that the first film had. It made this film very fun and entertaining that I wanted to see more after it ended.

Is it necessary that you need to check out "Don't F*** in the Woods" before seeing this film? Yes, as that film lays a foundation for this film and would make sense of a lot of things. If not, they briefly recap the first film which is good for those who haven't seen the film. "Don't F*** in the Woods 2" is better than its predecessor as it's filled with twice the bloody action and intensity that makes this film so much fun.

"Don't F*** in the Woods 2" is available on VOD.

"Terrifier 2" Review by Anthony T

This is going to be one of the biggest Octobers in horror in quite a while. You have various high profiled and mostly anticipated films including the new Hellraiser and Marvel's Werewolf by Night dropping on Hulu and Disney Plus respectively today. And of course you have "Halloween Ends" dropping next week in theaters and Peacock. Forget all these films at the moment as another mostly anticipated horror film dropped in theaters this weekend "Terrifier 2"

The film features the return of Art the Clown (David Howard Thornton) as he is mysteriously resurrected by a demonic entity. He then returns to the town of Miles County one year to the day after the massacre he inflicted on the town. This time he stalks a teenage girl (Lauren LaVera) and a young boy on Halloween night.

Samantha Scaffidi (Terrifier) , Felissa Rose (Sleepaway Camp) and Chris Jericho (All Elite Wrestling) also co-star in the film.

"Terrifier 2" is a film that I've been waiting for a long time, This film was supposed to come out last year but due finding distribution and the covid pandemic, it never got released. Thankfully, this was worth the year and a half / two year wait as "Terrifier 2" is one of the best horror films of the year.

A lot of the credit has to the brainchild of Art the Clown, writer/director Damien Leone as this was a gorier and more shocking than the first film. One of the things that I liked about his direction was the fact that the film had a different tone than the first film. Whether it's the way he makes Art look very menacing when he's not using his weapons to how he approaches the gore effects to even the pacing of this. Everything felt different which is something you want in a sequel.

Another thing that Leone has going for him is that he has not one but two great performances that keep you invested. First, you have David Howard Thornton returning to the role from "Terrifier" as he's less ha ha and more menacing and shocking in terms of presence. . He makes the character more frightening through his mannerisms like in the first film but he is more serious this time in making the character someone who is very demonic and more intense. This film is going to elevate Art the Clown into that level of iconic horror villains and it all has to do with the way Thornton has portrayed in both "Terrifier" films. Besides Thornton's performance, this film also has another great performance from Lauren LaVera. She does a great job bringing a lot of emotion and insanity to her character Sienna. Whether it was with the whole dynamic with her family to all the action scenes and her scene with Art, she makes you invested in her character which makes the performance very good and much on par with Thornton's performance as some of the film's best scenes are with those two together as their chemistry on screen was great.

The screenplay from Leone brings twice the violence and twice the intensity. from the opening of this film until the post credit scene. One of things that I liked was the fact that this film has very creative death scenes and very creepy dream-like scene involving the main character on a demented children's show. Leone does a great job making those aspects more shocking and come out of nowhere as gives the film its separate identity from the first film. It helps set the tone for the film's final act which is one of best final acts of the year. This also has one of the most gruesome kills in the last ten years which I won't spoil but it involves salt. That's the only clue on that scene I'm giving because I want you to see this in theaters or on Screambox in November. The other thing that I really liked about this film was the film's tone. Leone does a great job making sure that this film has a different tone compared to the first film as this film focuses on one group of characters unlike the first film where it felt like it had two groups of characters.. It allowed time for the new characters to be fleshed out as you become interested in the film's heroine and her family as the film goes along and not going in ten million directions. It helps make this film different from the first film. If he took the same approach in the screenwriting process that he did in "Terrifier" it wouldn't work. The fact that this film has a long run time and the way Leone pays attention to his new characters and his scenes is what makes the new characters and the storytelling better than the first film.

I highly suggest you check this film out whenever you can as it has great writing and directing from Damien Leone, great performances from David Howard Thornton and Lauren LaVera and a great story overall. "Terrifier 2" is one of the year's best horror films as this film brings Art the Clown to another level in terms of horror icons.

"Terrifier 2" is currently playing in limited release by Cinedigm courtesy of Iconic Events.

"Rootwood" Review by Anthony T

There are indie horror films out there that I've been looking to seeing for the last year whether its horror films from directors that I like or films that I've heard on various sites "Rootwood" is a film that I've been looking forward to for a while since hearing news about the film on various sites.

The film is about two podcasters (Elissa Dowling, Tyler Gallent) who are hired by a film producer to shoot a documentary on an urban legend known as The Wooden Devil. They along with a friend (Sarah French) set out to find evidence to see if this legend exists. Alone in the woods, they soon find out sinister is happening in the wood and they must find a way to survive. The film also stars Felissa Rose (Sleepaway Camp).

Going into "Rootwood", I was expecting that this film was going to be an average film at best given most of the film takes place in the woods. I was surprised that this film was one of those indie horror that I really enjoyed a lot.

Director Marcel Waltz's does a very good job with his direction. One of the things that I liked about it was the fact he's able to make sure the film's main scenes had an intense feel. Whether its the way he approached those scenes to the way he directs the action, everything does a very good job in keeping your interest considering this is one of those film where its confined to one area for most of the film. It really made this film a very good film and it kind of surprised that me that this was very good.

Another thing that I enjoyed about the film was acting. I thought the acting was entertaining, Elissa Dowling, Tyler Gallent, Sarah French and Felissa Rose did a great job with their performances as this is one of the film's strong suits. There was also very good chemistry between Dowling, Gallent, and French as they played very well off of each other and made the scenes in the woods work. This really also made this film very entertaining.

The screenplay written by Mario von Czapiewski is a very inventive and very good one as it mixes in the found footage and narrative elements. What I liked was the screenplay was the fact that he tells the story in a different way to the point that it pays off. I liked the fact that he mixes in elements of found footage and narrative elements as it helps with the purpose of the story as it kept me engaged with the characters and the story as there wasn't a moment where I felt bored. This also help the overarching story as it helps make the ending of the film work which I liked a lot as it was a direction that I wasn't expecting.

If you need a film that brings intensity, very good acting and a direction you don't see coming, then this is film to see on VOD and DVD. "Rootwood" is an intense film that will leave you in shock.

Review Rating: Five Stars

"We Summon the Darkness" Review by Anthony T

It's been a while since I reviewed a film for the site, but this is a film that I couldn't pass up reviewing. I've been wanting to see "We Summon the Darkness" for a while even since I've heard about the film on Bloody Disgusting. It looked like my type of film and plus I'm a big fan of Alexandra Daddario, who has been in such films as "Texas Chainsaw 3D" and "Baywatch".

The film is about a trio of best friends (Alexandra Daddario, Maddie Hasson, Amy Forsyth) going to a heavy metal concert. They find out in the news that there is a series of a murders that being tied to satanic rituals. During the concert, they pick up three guys and they head off to a house that is owned by a preacher (Johnny Knoxville) and father of one of the girls. Soon, their night of fun and partying turns into a dark and deadly one.

Going into "We Summon the Darkness", I thought that this was going to be a film where it would be along the lines of "Satanic Panic" and "Ready or Not" where there would be a lot of dark humor thrown in to the point that it would be like those film. Was I ever wrong as this plays more a serious horror film than I thought it would, even though it has a little bit of dark humor which is no complaint. It's what made me like this film a lot as this was different from those films and its the best film that I've seen so far this year.

One of the main reasons why this film was very good was its direction. Director Marc Myers does a very good job making sure that this had an intense and suspenseful feel to it. Whether its the way that he approached the film's scenes to the way he directs the action, everything made the film different from all these satanic films that have been released lately and its one of the film's strong assets. There was no time where this felt like another "Ready or Not" as Myers takes a more serious approach to the material which makes the directing very good.

The other thing that Myers does very well is the way that he directs his cast. He does a very good job making sure the cast has chemistry with each other. It made the dynamic of the film and made me interested in the characters. Speaking of the cast, I thought this film had some very good performances. First off, this is Alexandra Daddario's best film since Bereavement (aka Malevolence 2) which was released almost 10 years ago. She does a very good job making sure that her performance is one that keeps you on edge and she also worked very well with the other co-stars as her personality in this film is one that keeps you invested in the film without giving too much away. She is one of those women in horror that doesn't get as much credit as other horror actresses as even in bad films she also make performances stand out. The film also very good supporting performances from Amy Foryth and Johnny Knoxville as well.

The screenplay from writer Alan Trezza does a very good job making sure the film had a dark and intense tone. One of the keys things that makes his screenplay very good was the way he builds up his characters and the situation at hand. I liked how everything in the beginning was slow. It allowed me to get to know these characters to the point that I was invested in them when the twist happens. I like films like this that take its time to set up characters. It allows for some shock moments to feel shocking. Everything did that except one scene which I won't talk about as it gives away a crucial point in the film. The other thing that I also liked was the tone of the film. Trezza does a very job making sure the dark tone stays during the course of the film. By doing that, it allowed for the story have an intense feel and makes you feel like the stakes are serious. It's different from all the other satanic films that have been released in over the last year or two. This is another reason why I liked "We Summon the Darkness" a lot as this felt more of a serious horror film unlike "Satanic Panic" and "Ready or Not".

This is definitely a horror film that people should be checking out. Its a very good film from start to finish as  "We Summon the Darkness" is an intense film that strays away from recently releases like"Ready or Not" or "Satanic Panic" and makes cult based horror films dark and intense.

Review Rating: Five Stars  

"Haunt" Review by Anthony T

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It’s been a while since I posted anything over here on Film-Arcade.net as I’ve been focusing more of my attention on Anthony T’s Horror Show podcast and site but I’m back and hope to have this site updated at least two days a week. With that, why not start off the return of Film-Arcade.net with a film review of a horror film that was recently released on VOD.

It seems like every Halloween Season, you get a horror film that takes place on Halloween. “Haunt” is a film that surprising hasn’t been getting much buzz since the film is directed and written by 2 of writers of the box office hit “A Quiet Place” and the film being produced by Eli Roth. The film is about a group of friends who go out to the club on Halloween Night. They find a flyer for a haunted house that would scare you to the bone. Once entering the house, they realize that this isn’t an ordinary haunted house as there is a group of killers looking make their nightmares and last moments a living hell as they are trapped with no escape. The film stars Katie Stevens and Damien Meffei.

It amazes me that every year when we get close to Halloween, there is a Halloween film that needs to be talked about in a very good way. A couple years ago, it was Justin Seaman’s indie Halloween horror film “The Barn”. Then last year another Halloween horror film that came out of nowhere to big a mega cult hit Terrifier. Now, you can add “Haunt” to the list of very good Halloween horror films that have come out lately.

The reason why this film is very good was the writing and directing from Scott Beck and Bryan Woods. One of the things that I liked about the direction is that they did a great job with the way they directed the action. This could have been one of those run of the mill haunted house film where there are some lags and boring moments but this film doesn’t because the action is intense and I liked the set designs in the film as it had that gloom and doom feel as it makes some of the intense scenes very gripping.

Beck and Woods also does a very good job in making sure that the acting in this film matches the intense action. The directors make sure their cast does a very good job with the way they approach each of their characters. It helped make this film feel like you’re on a thrill ride. Speaking of the performances, I liked how Beck and Woods did a very good job directing the villains in the film. From the movements to how each of the villainous characters deliver their dialogue, it made their characters feel scary and frightening. When that happens, it makes horror aspects work as you’re into the film and their performances.

The film also has a strong lead performance from Katie Stevens. She does a very good job with the way she portrays the film’s lead. Whether the story focused on the backstory of her character or whether she tries to escape the haunted house, she makes sure that it’s convincing enough that you’re drawn to the character. The performance is another thing that makes this film very entertaining and would love to see in more horror film as a lead actress.

The screenplay written by Beck and Woods was a thrill ride from start to finish. I liked how they allow the tension and claustrophobia to build up for the first half of the film. It allowed time to develop the main character and made the action later on in the film work so well. That is what makes horror films enjoyable to watch. Another thing that I liked about the screenplay was the fact they did a good job with the way that they spaced everything out. The story moved at a very good pace as it takes it time developing everything. Whether it was the kill scenes to some of the main character’s backstory, everything is spaced out very well that I could sit and enjoy this film right up to its kick ass conclusion.

It seems the last couple of years have produced some very good Halloween themed horror film that are worth seeing every Halloween season as “Haunt” is no different. With its intense action and creepy villains, “Haunt” will be on my Halloween viewing list for years to come. I hate to give back to back five star reviews as I did with “Ready of Not” where you can find on Film-Arcade.net’s sister site Anthony T’s Horror Show but I’m enjoyed “Haunt" and its highly recommend viewing for this Halloween season.

Review Rating: Five Stars.

"St. Agatha" Review by Anthony T

Darren Lynn Bousman has become one of my favorite horror directors over the years. Whether its films like “Saw II”, Repo: The Genetic Opera and “The Barrens”, I’ve always had a good time with watching them. Once I heard that “St. Agatha” was coming out, I knew I had to check it out because his film are usually good.

The film is about a pregnant woman in 1950s Georgia who moves into a Covent to have her child. What seems to be a nice place turns into a nightmare for her, when she finds out the dark secrets that lie within the Covent. Now she must try and find a way out and save herself and her child before she becomes trapped in the wall of the Covent forever.

Going to this I was really hoping that St Agatha would’ve been a good film since I’m a huge fan of Darren Lynn Bousman. So much so that I was very interested in seeing this film. Sadly, I was fooled. “St Agatha is a very boring film from start to finish and I might even go far and say that this is Brousman’s worst film even though he had no input on the film’s screenplay Bousman isn’t given much to work with as he wasn’t one of the shopping list of screenwriters credited on the film. Bousman does a good job with the way the film looks as it has a dark look and dark feel to it. That is the only good thing that I have say about this film as everything else in his direction sucked. He doesn’t do a good job with the way he directs his cast. Every performance in the film felt like they were hitting one note and that’s it. It tells me that either the cast wasn’t engaged in the material or the way the characters were written. You need both of those elements for a film like this to succeed. This film doesn’t have that and that’s why Bousman is partly responsible for this lifeless film.

When you have multiple screenwriters, sometimes it hurts the overall screenplay. The screenplay for this film was atrocious as I lay most of the blame to the screenwriters. One of the reasons that this screenplay fails was the fact that they are way too many flashback scenes. This film spends too much time going back and forth between the main story and backstory of the main character. When a story like this does that, it tends to make the length of the film feel even longer. This film felt like it was fifteen minutes too long as some scenes could’ve been shorten. The other thing that I didn’t like was the fact that this film moves very slowly. The screenwriters don’t do a good job making sure that the main character was interesting. I couldn’t get into the main character because the character felt bland. When you have a main character that is bland, it is hard to get into the story. This was the case with me as I didn’t care about the character here thus making this a boring film.

Please avoid this film as was boring from the opening minute to the end. If you want to something in similar tone that is good from Darren Lynn Brousman, rent “Abbatior” or “The Barrens’. Those are more effective films and more worth your time than “St Agatha”.

Review Rating: 1 Star

"Close Calls" Review by Anthony T

It’s been a while that I’ve written a review given everything going on but couldn’t resist when reviewing when I heard about this film. I was first interested in reviewing this when I heard about it getting released by Scream Team Releasing which is my favorite indie horror label at the moment plus it had a cool premise. The film is about a teenager who is spending the night at home with her sick grandmother after she gets into an argument with her father. She starts to receive mysterious phone calls. This starts to drive her insane as she thinks that someone is stalking her and begins to feel like everyone is against her. Is this in her mind or is there truly someone out to get her?

The month of January usually is filled with films that you will forget by the end of the year. Very rarely do you get a film that you would consider for a best of list in January. Close Calls is that rare case as I liked this film a lot.

One of the things that makes “Close Calls” very good was the fact that writer/director Richard Stringham’s direction was very good. Whether it’s the way that he and his cinematographer Craig Wynn made the look of the film so dark to how Stringham keeps the action moving, it really is one of those films that keeps you on edge. He does that so effectively as it made the two hour run time go by at a good pace. This is an achievement that should be noted as I’ve seen many independent horror films go over ninety minutes in the past and most of them end up falling flat. Look at “Gehesha: Where Death Lives” as a great example. The other thing that makes this film good was the way Stringham directs his cast. He does a very good job making sure that he gets the performances that he needs to makes his work. Stringham makes sure that there is chemistry between the cast as it helped kept my interest in some of the films long dialogue scenes. This also helps the film overall especially with its long running time.

Speaking of the performances, I thought they were good but the one that stands out from the rest is Jordan Phillips’ performance as the lead character in the film. She does a very good job making her character work so well. Whether it’s the action scenes in the film’s final act to the way that she brings the character to life, Phillips brings a level of personality and intensity in the way that she approaches her character as it keeps you interest in the film’s story. I would like to see her get another leading role in the future as she definitely an actress to keep an eye in the indie horror genre.

Stringham’s screenplay was very good. I liked how this screenplay goes for more a Lucio Fulci/ Italian horror film type feel with the film’s story. This story felt like it had some inspirations from Fulci films such as “The Beyond” and “The House by the Cemetery” It made for some very weird and horrifying moments. This is definitely something you often don’t see that from American filmmakers. The other thing that I liked about the screenplay was the fact that it does a great job focusing on the main character. Whether it’s the problems that she has with her father to her being stalked, everything is done so well that it kept me engaged with the lead character and the film’s story.

Before I wrap up this review, Rocky Gray’s score was great here. It was one of those score that adds to film. I liked how it had that retro 80’s / Frizzi vibe going for it. It added to the film’s dark and dreadful tone which is needed for a film like this. I hope this soundtrack gets released on mp3 download as this is a great score and my favorite of his.

If you’re a fan of 70’s and 80’s Italian horror, this is definitely a film that you should check out as this has great direction from Richard Stringham and a great performance from Jordan Phillips. “Close Call” is a surreal and intense film that will make you fear picking up the phone every time the phone rings.

Review Rating: Five Stars

"Puppet Master: The Littlest Reich" Review by Anthony T

It’s been a while since I had the chance to write a review with all the stuff happening in Film-Arcade.net’s sister site Anthony T’s Horror Chamber. Why not start off my return to writing reviews with what I have to say one of the year’s most controversial horror films of the year, “Puppet Master: The Littlest Reich” which is being co-produced by Fangoria.

The film is about a comic book creator (Thomas Lennon) who returns home to his parent’s house after being divorced and dealing with the death of his brother. When he goes to his brother’s room, he finds a puppet stored in a box made by the infamous Andre Toulon. He realizes that he can sell it at the 25th anniversary convention celebrating the infamous Toulon murders at a hotel. So he brings his best friend and new love interest along. Soon, the puppets come to life and unleashes a wave or carnage that hasn’t been seen in any Puppet Master” film. Now, he must find out what makes the puppets come back to life and stop it before they kill everyone in the hotel. The film also co-stars Michael Pare, Charlyne Yi, Barabra Crampton and Udo Kier.

If you’re going into this Puppet Master thinking that it would be like the original Full Moon series, then you will be very disappoint as the magic of those films are replaced with shock and awe. Still, this “Puppet Master: The Littlest Reich” is a very good film as this the most horrific killer toy film that I ever seen.

The film directed by Sonny Laguna and Tommy Wiklund goes a very good job providing bloody action and shocking moments. One of the things that made this good was the fact that both directors made sure to keep the action moving. Whether it was the way that they directed the death scenes to how they handle the action especially with the puppet movements, everything is done in a way that it gives you a shocking and gory feel that quite frankly I’m not used to seeing in a Puppet Master film. It made this film entertaining and serious as there were some of the scenes that had a horrific and Troma like feel to it. The other thing that makes Laguna and Wiklund’s direction was the fact that performances were very good. They make sure that the performances had a serious tone while maintain the cast chemistry. It made the characters interesting and help moved the shocking tone along which made it feel different compared to other Puppet Master films. This film also has a very good lead performance from Thomas Lennon which also help made this very good.

But if there is one thing that made this film great, it was the film’s haunting score by Italian Composer Fabio Frizzi. Yes, the same one behind the scores of Fulci’s “Zombi 2” and “The Beyond”. He does a great job making sure the score had a very dark and creepy feel to it. It helped drive the film’s sinister tone which made the film darker than Richard Band’s original score. I would put up with there with some of his Fulci scores as his best work.

The one thing that I worried about this film was the fact that the screenplay was written S. Craig Zahler. Given his track record and the fact that I read reviews making me thing that this film was going into Troma territory and that it wouldn’t work considering I’m a major fan of the Puppet Master series. While it has material that might be considered offensive to some, for me it worked enough that I had a good time with this film even though the material felt overkill especially in the first half of the film.

What I liked about the screenplay was the fact that it does a very good job with the way that it builds up it’s lead character. I liked how Zahler does a very good job making sure that Thomas Lennon’s character is likeable. Whether it’s the way that he develops the character or making sure he is the focal point, it made the character interesting enough that I was interested in the character. The other thing that made the screenplay really good was the fact that this had a comic book like feel to it. Whether it was the over the top violence, or the film’s opening credits or the way this film ends, it gave a feel that you were in a comic book at times which made it different from the original films.

“Puppet Master: The Littlest Reich” is definitely not a film for everyone. With over the top gore, intense action and a great score, this is a film will shock you and leave you wanting more.

Review Rating: Four Stars

"Eighth Grade" Review by Tim Hellman

'EIGHTH GRADE': Five Stars (Out of Five)

A comedy-drama about an extremely insecure teenage girl who's struggling with social acceptance, while finishing her last week of eighth grade and preparing for high school. The film was written and directed by actor turned first time feature filmmaker Bo Burnham. It stars Elsie Fisher, Josh Hamilton, Emily Robinson and Jake Ryan. The movie has received nearly unanimous positive reviews from critics, and I was pretty blown away by it as well!

Kayla (Fisher) is an introverted and extremely insecure teenage girl, who's preparing for high school. She doesn't have any friends, but she really wants them, and she spends most of her free time on social media, and making YouTube videos explaining her social issues to others. Her father, Mark (Hamilton), constantly tries to help her, while still trying to keep the distance from her that Kayla desires. The entire film takes place during Kayla's last week of the eighth grade.

The movie is a beautiful examination of what it's like to be a social outcast trying to fit in in middle school. I remember what that's like very clearly, obviously not from a teenage girl's point of view, but I still found almost everything presented in the film to be really relatable. It's funny, and completely believable. It's also very heartbreaking, charming and touching; I cried tears multiple times while watching it. I definitely highly recommend it, to everyone.

"Three Identical Strangers Review by Tim Hellman

'THREE IDENTICAL STRANGERS': Four and a Half Stars (Out of Five)

A documentary about three identical triplets who were separated at birth, and neither they or their families were aware of it, until the siblings all accidentally meet at the age of 19. Then they later learn why. The film was directed by Tim Wardle, and it's received nearly unanimous positive reviews from critics. I found it to be extremely intriguing, but it's also highly disturbing. It's a really well made doc!

Eddy, David and Robert were three identical triplets who were separated at birth, and put into different families. Neither they or their families knew this, until the three siblings accidentally meet at 19-year-old. They are amazed to learn just how similar they all are, right down to the women they like and their career choices. Their fascinating story becomes a huge news story as well, as the trio tours different talk shows, and then they later learn why this knowledge was kept secret from them (and their families).

The triplets were separated as part of a scientific 'nature vs. nurture' twin study, and the results of it are the most fascinating part of the film (and the most disturbing). This is why the movie reconfirmed my beliefs that were socially conditioned to make almost all of the choices we make in life, and how we accept and tolerate others. It's why we believe we need to consume meat and dairy, and it's also why all the same people are perceived to be unattractive, by almost everyone, and vice versa. There's a really established and controlled hierarchy, and everyone has their set place in it. We can break this social conditioning (and go vegan, and learn to find unique looking people beautiful), but it's like breaking an addiction. It takes a lot of conscious effort and determination. That's what this movie reconfirmed in me.

"The Equalizer 2" Review by Tim Hellman

'THE EQUALIZER 2': Three and a Half Stars (Out of Five)

A sequel to the 2014 hit action flick based on the 1980s TV series (of the same name). Denzel Washington returns as Robert McCall, a retired CIA Black Ops operative, turned vigilante, who this time wants revenge for the murder of a friend. The sequel was once again directed by Antoine Fuqua (a usual partner of Denzel's, many times now), and Richard Wenk also returned to write the screenplay. The movie costars Pedro Pascal, Ashton Sanders, Jonathan Scarfe, Melissa Leo and Bill Pullman. It's gotten mixed reviews from critics, and it's projected to be a modest hit at the Box Office as well (the first one was a big one). I really enjoyed the third act, but not so much the first two.

Robert McCall (Washington) is now working as a Lyft driver, who sometimes acts as a vigilante still (especially when he picks up a woman who's been assaulted by a group of young privileged white men). Then one day Robert learns that his good friend Susan Plummer (Leo) has been murdered. He of course investigates the crime, and learns that an old associate was involved. McCall of course then returns to his violent vigilante ways full time, until revenge is accomplished.

The movie is really slow-paced and uninvolving (at least in my opinion) for more than fifty percent of the film. Then it picks up though, at about the beginning of the third act. There are some entertaining and interesting moments before that, but I was mostly bored with the movie until the big climax. The climax is pretty cool though, and there's some awesome Denzel action hero moments in it. The scene where Denzel gets revenge for the assaulted young woman (early in the film) is pretty cool too. It's not as good as the original definitely though, or as entertaining as most Fuqua/Washington action flicks are.

"Hotel Transylvania 3: Summer Vacation" Review by Tim Hellman

 'HOTEL TRANSYLVANIA 3: SUMMER VACATION': Three Stars (Out of Five)

The third installment in the popular computer-animated horror-comedy series. The story has to deal with Dracula and his monster friends taking their summer vacation on a Luxury Monster Cruise Ship, when Dracula falls for the ship's captain, who's also trying to kill him. The film was once again directed by Genndy Tartakovsky (who also helmed the first two), and it was written by Tartakovsky and Michael McCullers. It once again stars the voice talents of Adam Sandler, Selena Gomez, Andy Samberg, Kevin James, David Spade, Steve Buscemi, Keegan-Michael Key, Molly Shannon, Fran Drescher and Mel Brooks (all reprising their roles from the other movies). While Kathryn Hahn and Jim Gaffigan join the cast. It's gotten mostly positive reviews from critics, and it's also another hit at the Box Office as well (just like the others). I enjoyed it, but not quite as much as the first two.

Dracula (Sandler) and his monster family decide to take a summer trip, aboard a Luxury Monster Cruise Ship. When Dracula meets the ship's captain, Ericka (Hahn), he immediately falls for her. What Dracula doesn't know is that Ericka is the great-granddaughter of his longtime archenemy, Professor Abraham Van Helsing (Gaffigan). Dracula then spends the rest of the trip trying to impress her, while she continuously tries to kill him.

The movie is charming, and somewhat witty and funny as well (just like the others). It's not quite as clever and funny as the others though, but it's still likable enough (in my opinion). It also, once again (of course), has a great message about not discriminating against others based on their appearance (which is a really important message to me). This is one of the reasons I really liked the film's predecessors as well. I think if you enjoyed the other ones, you'll probably like this one almost as much too.

"Jurassic World: Fallen Kingdom" Review by Tim Hellman

'JURASSIC WORLD: FALLEN KINGDOM': Four and a Half Stars (Out of Five)



The fifth installment in the 'JURASSIC PARK' franchise, and the second chapter in the new reboot trilogy.  In this sequel Owen Grady and Claire Dearing return to the abandoned Jurassic World theme park, in order to rescue the dinosaurs there from an imminent volcanic eruption.  'JURASSIC WORLD's writers, Colin Trevorrow (who also helmed the 2015 film) and Derek Connolly, returned to script this entry as well, and J.A. Bayona took over directing duties.  Steven Spielberg (the original film's director) returned as an executive producer once again.  The returning cast this time (from multiple other installments) includes Chris Pratt, Bryce Dallas Howard, B. D. Wong and Jeff Goldblum.  While Rafe Spall, Justice Smith, Daniella Pineda, Isabella Sermon, Ted Levine, James Cromwell and Toby Jones joined the cast.  It's received mixed reviews from critics, and it's another gigantic hit at the Box Office as well of course.  I loved it.



A volcanic eruption is set to destroy Isla Nublar, and the United States Senate is holding a debate on whether the dinosaurs there should be saved or not.  The Senate disapproves doing anything to save the animals, so Claire Dearing (Howard) creates the Dinosaur Protection Group, and she receives financial support from Benjamin Lockwood (Cromwell) in order to go to Nublar and rescue the dinosaurs.  Claire also enlists the help of her former lover, Owen Grady (Pratt).  Things get complicated when Lockwood's aide, Eli Mills (Spall), double-crosses the team in order to sell the dinosaurs for a huge profit.



The movie is spectacularly entertaining!  There's definitely some really cool creature attack scenes in it, and an awesome volcanic eruption escape scene as well, involving a drugged hero narrowly fleeing his death (in a totally classic scene in my opinion).  There's also a great animal liberation message throughout the film too, that I love (being a vegan and Animal Rights activist).  I really had a great time watching it, and I think the movie is an important animal rights film (for everyone to see) as well.

"Sicario: Day of the Saldado" Review by Tim Hellman

'SICARIO: DAY OF SALDADO': Four and a Half Stars (Out of Five)

The sequel to the 2015 hit crime-thriller 'SICARIO'. This one has Benicio del Toro and Josh Brolin reprising their roles as hitman Alejandro Gillick and CIA agent Matt Graver, who must team up to stop Mexican drug cartels from smuggling terrorists across the U.S. border. It costars Isabela Moner, Jeffrey Donovan (also reprising his role from the original), Catherine Keener, Manuel Garcia-Rulfo, Matthew Modine and Shea Whigham. The script was once again written by Taylor Sheridan, and the film was directed this time by Stefano Sollima. It's received mostly positive reviews from critics, although not as good as the acclaimed original. I really enjoyed it as well, although not quite as much as the original also.

Mexican drug cartels have been smuggling suicide bombers across the border, into the U.S., and CIA agent Matt Graver (Brolin) is tasked with stopping them. He brings in former undercover operative, turned mentally unstable hitman Alejandro Gillick (del Toro), to help him. They kidnap the young daughter of a drug lord, named Isabela Reyes (Moner), in an effort to cause war between the rival cartels. Things get out of control with the Mexican police, and the girl makes a run for it. Gillick is tasked with bringing her back.

The movie is intense almost for it's entirety. Some scenes go on a little too long, but it's mostly a pretty nonstop thrill ride. Del Toro and Brolin are both great in their roles, and the music score is absolutely awesome. The absence of Emily Blunt's character is a noticeable lesser quality to this sequel though, and it just isn't quite as original or shocking. It does just about as much as a good sequel can do though, and I look forward to seeing another one.