Very heavy content in this but such a realistic and honest depiction of dealing with trauma and of the complexities of the human condition as a whole. As someone who has experienced SA myself, I can honestly say I've never seen the lasting effects of it portrayed quite as well as it is here. Being a victim/survivor of any kind of abuse is never as clean cut as people think it is. They assume you would hate anyone who could do something like that to you and immediately cut off all contact with that person but it's usually not that simple. It's confusing and frustrating; can make you feel angry and guilty all at once. You forgive and even empathize with people that hurt you and sometimes project that hurt onto other people without evenrealizing it. The reality is that it's really very messy and Richard Gadd lays every bit of that and himself open for the world to see in this self-reflective mini series. The fact that he plays himself I think has a lot to do with how genuine this comes off but the performances by Jessica Gunning and Nava Mau were just as outstanding. Despite how gut wrenching this can be at times and how many very real topics it touches on, I'd 100% recommend this to anyone and everyone.
Reviews
9 Reviews
The Future Diary
(2011–2013)
Fun and gorey with a twist
10 April 2024
Obsessive cute-but-psycho girlfriend wielding a katana - check
Whimsical child-like demigod who spends her time eating corn on the cob and reading anime - check
Gruesome bloody battle royale to become God - check
Multi-dimensional plot twist - check
I really enjoyed this from start to finish but the ending is what really made the entire show for me. Everything wrapped up in such a satisfying way which gave each character an ending they deserved and for someone who typically doesn't like happy/clean endings I was really rooting for one (Managed to get messy AND happy at the same time.). The gore was plentiful, the characters were fun, and I loved the mystery and timeline elements that were put into play.
I really enjoyed this from start to finish but the ending is what really made the entire show for me. Everything wrapped up in such a satisfying way which gave each character an ending they deserved and for someone who typically doesn't like happy/clean endings I was really rooting for one (Managed to get messy AND happy at the same time.). The gore was plentiful, the characters were fun, and I loved the mystery and timeline elements that were put into play.
Late Night with the Devil
(2023)
Fun, unique, good time for a horror fan
27 March 2024
The film starts off giving us the back story of Jack Delroy and his climb to fame as a late night television host. The more he falls on the charts, the further he will go to make it to the top - even if that means inviting controversial guests or exploiting his own wife's cancer. In an attempt to gain the most views in television history, Jack plans a Halloween special with guests such as a man who communes with the dead, a parapsychologist and young girl that claims to be possessed by the devil, and an illusionist/skeptic who says he will give a large sum of money to anyone that can convince him something supernatural exists. This sets the scene for the rest of the film where we are told we are watching the footage from that night and never before released cut scenes that explain how things went terribly awry.
From the found footage introduction to the magnificent performances and stage set up, everything about this film immerses you in the experience. The dead-on color scheme and costumes mixed with the subtle homage to the exorcist and other such era indicators take the audience out of 2024 and place us right in the middle of the 70's as if we're watching live from our burnt orange mid century recliners. It does an exceptional job of going from making you feel comfortable and at ease to making you suddenly claustrophobic and increasingly aware that something isn't right.
Overall this was really fun and what I would consider to be a unique take on the typical posesssion trope. I'm not a huge paranormal horror fan, but this was done in such a playfully cheeky way it'll be hard to beat as my favorite of the year. There arent any jump scares or anything that will keep you up at night, but the pacing of the suspense was enough to keep me on edge and the few practical gore effects were so god damn fun and had a huge payoff in my opinion.
The last thing I'll say is they did use AI for some very brief title card scenes but for me the original artistic craftsmanship from everyone that worked on this film was outstanding.
From the found footage introduction to the magnificent performances and stage set up, everything about this film immerses you in the experience. The dead-on color scheme and costumes mixed with the subtle homage to the exorcist and other such era indicators take the audience out of 2024 and place us right in the middle of the 70's as if we're watching live from our burnt orange mid century recliners. It does an exceptional job of going from making you feel comfortable and at ease to making you suddenly claustrophobic and increasingly aware that something isn't right.
Overall this was really fun and what I would consider to be a unique take on the typical posesssion trope. I'm not a huge paranormal horror fan, but this was done in such a playfully cheeky way it'll be hard to beat as my favorite of the year. There arent any jump scares or anything that will keep you up at night, but the pacing of the suspense was enough to keep me on edge and the few practical gore effects were so god damn fun and had a huge payoff in my opinion.
The last thing I'll say is they did use AI for some very brief title card scenes but for me the original artistic craftsmanship from everyone that worked on this film was outstanding.
The Lost Boys
(1987)
Fun and freaky
6 October 2021
This is the most 80s movie I've ever seen. Keither Sutherland and Corey Feldman, the ear dangles and leather jackets, the awesome soundtrack, and the special fx that only the 80s could master. I loved this movie from start to finish. Definitely gives a fun and different perspective of your typical vampires in a rock n roll teenage point of view. It was funny when it needed to be and makes you anticipate what's going to happen next. Awesome move.
Midsommar
(2019)
best original horror concept in a long time
10 July 2019
If you're looking for jump scares or gore, this film has little to none of either and may not keep your attention. It is a sort of surreal, art house horror that dives into the psyche and plays with the emotions of the viewers. From the first few minutes to the last i was incredibly uncomfortable but never lost interest in what was coming next. Some parts are slow and some are predictable but neither of those things took away from the film somehow. The parts that were slow were painful in a way that the viewer feels anxious, confused, and fearful for long extended periods of time which make the horrifying things happening to the characters seem all the more real and the parts that you could predict were no less shocking than if you couldn't have seen them coming at all. The imagery and cinematography was beautifully done. Great shots, and seeing floral colors and white dresses juxtaposed with the dark subject matter made me just as uneasy as everything else.
There have been a lot of remakes this year that have been great but this is the first original concept I've seen in a while that I truly thought was brilliant. I left the theatre feeling almost traumatized in a way but haven't stopped thinking about the film since which I'm not sure is what a lot of people are looking for but is how I feel true horror should make you feel.
There have been a lot of remakes this year that have been great but this is the first original concept I've seen in a while that I truly thought was brilliant. I left the theatre feeling almost traumatized in a way but haven't stopped thinking about the film since which I'm not sure is what a lot of people are looking for but is how I feel true horror should make you feel.
Aladdin
(2019)
Better than expected/ wonderful retelling!
5 June 2019
Ok so here's my Verdict!!: I heckin really liked it and it made me v happy lol. Honestly, just based on the previews I was like hmm that could be dope I guess but it was way better than I anticipated. I thought the roles were perfectly cast and well played (Jasmine was my favorite and the retelling of her character in this made me love her even more than the animated version!), I've already listened to the soundtrack twice today lol it's great and the new addition made me cry but i also had a little to drink and most thinks make me cry regardless so, costumes on point, cinematography gorg, and the cgi characters were done hella well like I want to hug carpet. It differs from the original a bit which will probably piss some people off but I thought it had a great mix of familiarity and bringing new elements to the table that actually made the characters and story make more sense. So yeah all in all I thought it was awesome and cute n fun and fresh and one of my favorite live actions so far. Wait idk I honestly really liked detective Pikachu so maybe my favorite Disney live action but yeah GO SEE IT! Can't beat 5 dollar tuesdays at amc theatres right now!
Hell House LLC
(2015)
Cool concept, kind of let down by other elements
20 December 2018
The idea of a horror film taking place in a haunted house setting is genius to me, especially when adding the found footage element that makes it more realistic. Honestly, who hasn't had the thought that something could go horrible wrong in a haunted house and that fiction could quickly turn to reality? That's part of what makes it all the more scary, right?
I think the concept of the movie was well thought out and the actors and everything worked well for low budget film. I typically watch a movie before I go into work (I work the rave hard shift alone) and I honestly had to turn this one off and resume later because I thought it would make me too paranoid to be at work which is not something I ever really do.
There weren't a lot of jump scares or anything, mostly just genuine terror and anxious anticipation. I also would have LOVED to see more gore in this (there was basically none at all) or even a few more creepy encounters as I feel like there was a lot of set up for the main event and not much delivered there. Also not a fan of the fact that it didn't really explain even remotely what the hell was going on, it just kind of gives you the notion you're dealing with something paranormal.
All in all, I'd probably watch it again with someone else but not really on my own and I don't think I'd check out the second one.
I think the concept of the movie was well thought out and the actors and everything worked well for low budget film. I typically watch a movie before I go into work (I work the rave hard shift alone) and I honestly had to turn this one off and resume later because I thought it would make me too paranoid to be at work which is not something I ever really do.
There weren't a lot of jump scares or anything, mostly just genuine terror and anxious anticipation. I also would have LOVED to see more gore in this (there was basically none at all) or even a few more creepy encounters as I feel like there was a lot of set up for the main event and not much delivered there. Also not a fan of the fact that it didn't really explain even remotely what the hell was going on, it just kind of gives you the notion you're dealing with something paranormal.
All in all, I'd probably watch it again with someone else but not really on my own and I don't think I'd check out the second one.
Chilling Adventures of Sabrina
(2018–2020)
Interesting concept, not as great execution
20 December 2018
I love that they took the original idea and made it modern and dark but the situations don't really end up keeping my attention. I live Sabrina's character but I don't feel very connected to any of the others. I also miss that Salem talked, was kind of hoping we'd see more of that.
Revenge
(II) (2017)
Unbelievable but brilliant commentary
19 December 2018
Warning: Spoilers
Going into this movie, I thought I might end up having to turn it off considering most movies containing sexual assault take the scene far too over the top but it was just enough to get the point across and move the storyline along without sending me into a full fledged panic attack. They put the focus more on the horror and terror she was experiencing than actually showing the assault which I think is so important for a revenge-rape film and something I've never really seen before.
The character setup made this movie so entertaining in my opinion. We have the rich older man cheating on his wife with a younger woman which clearly tells you he's not trustworthy but they show him speaking sweetly to his wife and being at least somewhat respectful to the young girl at first. The complete 180 he does when he turns out to be the most vile character said a lot to me about how little you really know about the people you put your trust into sometimes.
The other two men introduced into the story gave a creepy vibe right off the bat. The man who committed the assault was later way more afraid of the consequences than appalled by his act and expresses violence towards the woman for daring to fight back. This coupled with the complacency of the second man and the violent reaction from the initial man really shed a light on toxic masculinity.
The female lead was the best of all. I loved how they portrayed her as a fun and flirty party girl instead of somehow shy and reserved. This challenges the societal notion that some women are "just asking for it" which was one of the most important parts of this film for me.
Yes the scenes were super unbelievable. There's no way any of them would have survived the injuries they sustained yet it definitely made for a fun experience with gore and blood that made me feel uneasy and squeamish and times when I typically don't feel that way. The fact that they made it so unbelievable that she would get away was kind of a letdown in terms of revenge because it feels like a woman could never get revenge realistically.
However, the revenge was sweet. I loved her transformation into this vengeful hunting machine getting her revenge on these men who abused her and by the end I think the viewer feels just as satisfied as she does.
The movie had a lot of decent Imagery and beautiful shots that held a lot of symbolism. If you like gore good cinematography and revenge you'll dig it. If you like your horror thrillers to be a little more realistic you probably won't. I'd yojre a feminist in any respect I'd give it a watch for sure as I think it's an important piece of commentary and she's an important heroine.
The character setup made this movie so entertaining in my opinion. We have the rich older man cheating on his wife with a younger woman which clearly tells you he's not trustworthy but they show him speaking sweetly to his wife and being at least somewhat respectful to the young girl at first. The complete 180 he does when he turns out to be the most vile character said a lot to me about how little you really know about the people you put your trust into sometimes.
The other two men introduced into the story gave a creepy vibe right off the bat. The man who committed the assault was later way more afraid of the consequences than appalled by his act and expresses violence towards the woman for daring to fight back. This coupled with the complacency of the second man and the violent reaction from the initial man really shed a light on toxic masculinity.
The female lead was the best of all. I loved how they portrayed her as a fun and flirty party girl instead of somehow shy and reserved. This challenges the societal notion that some women are "just asking for it" which was one of the most important parts of this film for me.
Yes the scenes were super unbelievable. There's no way any of them would have survived the injuries they sustained yet it definitely made for a fun experience with gore and blood that made me feel uneasy and squeamish and times when I typically don't feel that way. The fact that they made it so unbelievable that she would get away was kind of a letdown in terms of revenge because it feels like a woman could never get revenge realistically.
However, the revenge was sweet. I loved her transformation into this vengeful hunting machine getting her revenge on these men who abused her and by the end I think the viewer feels just as satisfied as she does.
The movie had a lot of decent Imagery and beautiful shots that held a lot of symbolism. If you like gore good cinematography and revenge you'll dig it. If you like your horror thrillers to be a little more realistic you probably won't. I'd yojre a feminist in any respect I'd give it a watch for sure as I think it's an important piece of commentary and she's an important heroine.
Tell Your Friends