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OrchardLeaves
Reviews
DD Returns (2023)
A fun comedy horror film of two halves
I didn't know what to expect when I saw this on its day of release (in UK with English subtitles) with limited info out there, but I was in the mood for something a little light hearted and I like horror so this looked the part judging from the trailers.
I wasn't disappointed with lots of chuckles, some very ropey effects in places which didn't matter, chases, a myriad of characters we got to know in the first half and then into the haunted house for the second half of the film.
Strangely the trailers seem to ignore the first half of the film outside the haunted house which left me a bit confused but eventually we got to the creepy house.
In summary in the first half of the film there's a wedding that gets interrupted and we get to know several groups of people, some of whom plan to steal a load of money. This sets up themes around love, revenge, kidnap and greed and there's a lot of hilarity. It reminded me of old slapstick comedies with the loot passing from one group to another with various chases.
Eventually the various groups converge on the old haunted house and find themselves being forced to play 'Win or Run' to escape with their lives (and win the money) which is what the trailers focussed on, with more peril and hilarity.
Good escapist fun.
All My Friends Hate Me (2021)
'Friends' organise birthday bash so they can be cruel - hilarious, not
None of the friends seemed likable with the possible exception of Claire, he should have just turned around and left. It was supposed to be a birthday party for him FFS.
The surprise at end was just more cruel cringe, and tragic. No sense of camaraderie had been established which might make the japes acceptable.
Reduce a guy to having a breakdown, joke about him making someone suicidal. Pointing a loaded gun at someone as a laugh? Swapping out his medicine? Shooting a gun in a car without giving him ear protection?
The only way that the ending could have saved this mess that dragged on and on was if there was some sort of comeuppance for his friends', but there wasn't.
Acting seemed ok, cinematography ok but the plot?
I found some of the cringe jokes a bit funny at the start, but it just went on and on...
Should have killed off all the friends and just made the film about Norman.
Mortal Kombat (2021)
Disappointing - nice effects and Kano
There was just something off about this - it started out well, looked nice but then the action moved to modern day and Cole...
I didn't care for most of the characters, Kano was the only really decent one, Sonya and Jax were ok, but the lead character Cole and his family, the main bad guy and Raiden - meh.
The music was underwhelming it didn't really add anything - the best bit was the theme at the closing credits when I thought yeah - needed more of that energy in the film.
I preferred the 1995 version - cheesy but fun with great music and memorable lines (and some ropey effects, but who cares) - this one just felt like a 80s TV movie with better budget and effects with loads of gore and swearing.
Did someone say there was going to be a sequel? Can't say I would want to see it, I was counting down the minutes for this to end. If they make a other film, just make it about Kano and get rid of everyone else.
Poirot: The Veiled Lady (1990)
Different and hilarious
This was quite different to most Poirot stories as he resorts to burglary to help the damsel in distress and his little grey cells don't really whir into action until late in the episode.
I found it quite funny with Poirot and Hastings running down the street in camouflage to get to the house, reminded me of an episode of Only Fools and Horses when Del and Rodney run along the road dressed up as Batman and Robin, both had tall and thin and short slightly dumpy characters.
Lots of other comedic situations and Poirot for once being mistaken as a foreigner from a country other than France.
I think Suchet must have had fun making this as well.
So much more fun than the later series, which became quite sombre. Maybe a little too frivolous for some.
A Christmas Horror Story (2015)
Passable if a bit uneven Christmas gore
I enjoyed watching this, it won't win many awards but it doesn't require much brainpower and hits the spot if you don't expect too much and fancy a bit of Christmas themed horror.
I liked the school basement story the least but it did have a couple of jumpscares that made me jump, so I guess it fulfilled it's purpose.
William Shatner as the radio host worked quite well, not much of him but enough to add a little warmth and contrast to the proceedings which would be a little bleak otherwise.
I see someone complained they didn't really care for the characters which thinking about it I didn't either (with the possible exception of Santa and tipsy Shatner) but that didn't really lower my enjoyment as it is fairly simple action movie.
Santa on the rampage was great fun and we liked the twist at the end (wasn't expecting that).