Saturday, April 15, 2017

But I Digress...Egg-citing Easter Movies

By Cat


Easter is a fun time of year. Spring is in full swing with all the colors and new growth that comes with it. Kids are excited that school is winding down towards summer, and it’s generally the season for many field trips. Those celebrating Lent are usually excited to be able to stop eating fish on Fridays and to have whatever they’d given up for the last 40 days within reach again. Then, of course, there’s the Easter Bunny and all the eggs and candy goodness. It can get to be a bit of a madhouse between family and community activities.

If you’re finding yourself staying in for a more low-key celebration, the kids need a distraction while the Easter Bunny hides all the goodies for an egg-hunt, or you’ve already run yourself ragged and just need something entertaining to unwind with; I’ve compiled a list of movies that might just fit the bill. These are mostly family movies; though there are a surprising number of Easter related horror movies out there. That's just not my mood of the moment. This, like the St. Patrick's Day list, is by no means a complete run-down of all the Easter movies out there, but it does give a good variety from whimsical to serious religious drama.

I hope you enjoy this selection of movies that fit the spirit of the season, if not the holiday.



10 - Watership Down (1978)


Viewing Options: Netflix DVD, Amazon Instant Video, YouTube (purchase), iTunes
Director: Martin Rosen
Actors: John Hurt, Richard Briers, Michael Graham Cox, Roy Kinnear
Genre:  Animation, Adventure, Drama
Rated: PG
More Information Here.

Blurb: A group of rabbits flee their doomed warren and face many dangers to find and protect their new home.


This movie is easily one of my favorite movies of all time. It's based on the novel by Richard Adams and follows that material rather closely. Even though this is a cartoon movie about bunnies, it is not something that would be good for very small children. Certainly at the time the movie was made, and for some time since, this animated film has been considered to be the most violent PG-rated animated film ever made. Bunnies can kick some tail when they need to. Needless to say, the grim visuals of these talking rabbits locked in mortal combat and other harrowing scenarios isn't your standard Saturday morning cartoon fare. Even so, the animation is gorgeous, the story is compelling, it's got a great soundtrack, and even has some comedy sprinkled in. It might not be a movie centered on the holiday, itself; it does feature one of the most iconic symbols of the Easter season.


9 - Willy Wonka And The Chocolate Factory (1971)


Viewing Options: Netflix DVD, Amazon Instant Video, YouTube (purchase), iTunes, BestBuy CinemaNow, Vudu
Director: Mel Stuart
Actors: Gene Wilder, Jack Albertson, Peter Ostrum, Roy Kinnear
Genre: Family, Fantasy, Musical
Rated: G
More Information Here.

Blurb: The story of Charlie Bucket, a little boy with no money and a good heart, who dreams wistfully of being able to buy the candy that other children enjoy. Charlie enters into a magical world when he wins one of five 'Golden Tickets' to visit the mysterious chocolate factory owned by the eccentric Willy Wonka.


Oh how I love to listen to Gene Wilder (Blazing Saddles, Young Frankenstein, See No Evil Hear No Evil) sing "Pure Imagination" while strolling through a candy wonderland. While not strictly an Easter movie, Willy Wonka's chocolate factory is the stuff of every candy-loving kid's dreams. While I didn't find the more recent remake horrible, there's still nothing that beats a true classic. This movie was pure magic.


8 - Zootopia (2016)

 
Viewing Options: Netflix, Amazon Instant Video, YouTube (purchase), iTunes, Vudu
Directors: Byron Howard, Rich Moore, Jared Bush
Actors: Ginnifer Goodwin, Jason Bateman, Idris Elba, Jenny Slate, Nate Torrence, Bonnie Hunt, Don Lake, Tommy Chong, J.K. Simmons, Octavia Spencer, Alan Tudyk, Shakira
Genre: Animation, Adventure, Comedy
Rated: PG
More Information Here.

Trust The Dice Review

Blurb: When an otter mysteriously disappears from the animal city of Zootopia, a rabbit police officer teams up with a fast-talking fox to set things right.


You guessed it! Here's another film featuring a rabbit in the primary lead role. Easter isn't a central theme here, but it's a wonderful family movie with a great message. It's a more recent addition to the long list of favorites in my household. Check out our review with the link above!


7 - Rise of the Guardians (2012)


Viewing Options: Netflix DVD, Amazon Instant Video, YouTube (purchase), iTunes, BestBuy CinemaNow, Vudu, Xfinity Subscription
Director: Peter Ramsey
Actors: Chris Pine, Alec Baldwin, Jude Law, Isla Fisher, Hugh Jackman
Genre: Animation, Adventure, Family
Rated: PG
More Information Here.

Blurb: When the evil spirit Pitch launches an assault on Earth, the Immortal Guardians team up to protect the innocence of children all around the world.


While Rise of the Guardians doesn't focus solely on Easter; it is a prominent part of the plot. I absolutely adore the character concepts behind the Guardians of Childhood, and have already seen this movie many times with my daughter.


6 - The Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, the Witch & the Wardrobe (2005)


Viewing Options: Netflix DVD, Amazon Instant Video, YouTube (purchase), iTunes, Vudu, Xfinity Subscription, HBOGo
Director: Andrew Adamson
Actors: Georgie Henley, Skandar Keynes, William Moseley, Anna Popplewell, Tilda Swinton, James McAvoy, Liam Neeson
Genre: Adventure, Family, Fantasy
Rated: PG
More Information Here.

Blurb: Four kids travel through a wardrobe to the land of Narnia and learn of their destiny to free it with the guidance of a mystical lion.


There are some Easter parallels that can be drawn within the plot of this movie. The books that this film and the others in its series are based on have roots in faith. If you’re not looking for that sort of thing, it’s still a wonderful and fanciful tale of magic and adventure!


5 - Risen (2016)


Viewing Options: Netflix DVD, Amazon Instant Video, YouTube (purchase), iTunes, BestBuy CinemaNow, Vudu, Xfinity Subscription
Director: Kevin Reynolds
Actors: Joseph Fiennes, Tom Felton, Peter Firth, Cliff Curtis
Genre: Action, Adventure, Drama
Rated: PG-13
More Information Here.

Blurb: In 33 AD, a Roman Tribune in Judea is tasked to find the missing body of an executed Jew rumored to have risen from the dead.


This movie is often looked at as the unofficial sequel to the next movie on this list, The Passion of the Christ (2004). While I haven’t yet seen either movie, I’ll buy that reasoning since that film explores the events leading up to the crucifixion and this movie takes a look at what happens after – from a different perspective than we usually see.

I think it’s a fabulous idea to frame the film from the viewpoint of the Romans rather than point-of-view sources such as Apostles or those referenced as close to Jesus in the Bible.

If you’re looking for a more serious movie with a theme that explores ‘the reason for the season,’ then this might be for you!


4 - The Passion of the Christ (2004)


Viewing Options: Netflix DVD, Amazon Instant Video, YouTube (purchase), iTunes, BestBuy CinemaNow, Vudu
Director: Mel Gibson
Actors:  Jim Caviezel, Monica Bellucci, Maia Morgenstern
Genre: Drama
Rated: R
More Information Here.

Blurb: Depicts the final twelve hours in the life of Jesus of Nazareth, on the day of his crucifixion in Jerusalem.

 

This one’s fairly self-explanatory. The movie takes a look at the first half of the Easter story, which takes place on Good Friday – the journey to crucifixion. Setting aside the controversy that swirled around this film from its director or casting; it looks to be a gritty realistic look at those pivotal twelve hours that are at the core of the Christian faith, and the basis of this holiday.

Keep in mind, though, while deciding whether this is a family experience or not, that when I say gritty; it’s said that there is much in this movie that is downright brutal and cringe-inducing to watch. The cinematography was purposefully a bit ‘in your face’ with depicting this story, so it might not be for small audiences or the feint of heart.

If you’re on board, though, maybe make a double feature of it with the prior selection and then let us know if the pairing really does seem like it could work!


3 - It's the Easter Beagle, Charlie Brown (1974)


Viewing Options: Netflix DVD, Amazon Instant Video
Director: Phil Roman
Actors: Todd Barbee, Melanie Kohn, Stephen Shea, Linda Ercoli, Lynn Mortensen, Jimmy Ahrens, Bill Melendez
Genre: Animation, Comedy, Family
Rated: Unrated (Trust the Dice Rating: G)
More Information Here.

Blurb: The Peanuts gang prepare for Easter in their own clumsy ways.

 
(Trailer includes Charlie Brown Valentines Special from DVD launch. Easter is 2nd in the video.)

Does this one really need explanation for why it's on this list? It's a Peanuts/Charlie Brown holiday special! Snoopy and the gang bring their typical antics to the Easter season. Can we really ever get enough of these? I know I can't. It's a solid choice for all ages if you can get your hands on it!


2 - Winnie the Pooh: Springtime with Roo (2004)


Viewing Options: Netflix, Amazon Instant Video, YouTube (purchase), iTunes, Vudu
Directors: Saul Blinkoff, Elliot M. Bour
Actors: Jim Cummings, Ken Sansom, Jimmy Bennett, Peter Cullen, David Ogden Stiers, Kath Soucie, John Fielder
Genre: Animation, Comedy, Family
Rated: G
More Information Here.

Blurb: Roo is upset when Rabbit cancels Easter and declares "Spring Cleaning Day" instead.


It's the magic and nostalgia of Winnie The Pooh and his friends celebrating the season. This is another one that really doesn't need much fanfare for why it's on my list. It's adorable, for those growing up with these stories the characters feel like 'home,' and it's appropriate for all ages.


1 - Hop (2011)


Viewing Options: Netflix DVD, Amazon Instant Video, YouTube (purchase), iTunes, BestBuy CinemaNow, Vudu
Director: Tim Hill
Actors: James Marsden, Russell Brand, Kaley Cuoco, Hank Azaria, Hugh Laurie, David Hasslehoff
Genre: Animation, Adventure, Comedy
Rated: PG
More Information Here.

Blurb: E.B., the Easter Bunny's teenage son, heads to Hollywood, determined to become a drummer in a rock 'n' roll band. In LA, he's taken in by Fred after the out-of-work slacker hits E.B. with his car.


I absolutely adore this movie. It brings an imaginative and interesting twist to the idea of what life might be like for the Easter Bunny (and his family) - with a twist. There are heartwarming and hilarious moments galore! This film blends animation and live action seamlessly for a wonderful Easter joyride.


Bonus! - The 10 Commandments (1956)


Viewing Options: Network Television (ABC) 4/15/2017, Netflix DVD, Amazon Instant Video, YouTube (purchase), iTunes, BestBuy CinemaNow, Vudu
Director: Cecil B. DeMille
Actors:  Charlton Heston, Yul Brynner, Anne Baxter, Vincent Price, John Carradine
Genre: Adventure, Drama
Rated: "Approved"
More Information Here.

Blurb: The Egyptian Prince, Moses, learns of his true heritage as a Hebrew and his divine mission as the deliverer of his people.


While this movie might not directly depict Easter, since it's technically far before its historical time; it does present the story of Passover, which is part of the holiday season. It's an iconic tale that has long been an Easter tradition in many households. ABC usually airs this movie annually on Easter weekend, and this year is no exception. It will be showing on Saturday, April 15th, at 7 PM Eastern / 6 PM Central.

This was one of my favorite movies growing up. The sets are stunning in this sweeping old-Hollywood movie. I've lost track of how many times I've seen it, as my cousins and I would request this VHS to be played just about as often as some kids watch Disney movies. (Maybe not THAT much, but close!)


I leave you with a final thought for your holiday preparations, much in the way game show and talk show hosts throw out that last little tidbit to "help control the pet population - have your pets spayed or neutered." 

If you're considering purchasing a live animal as part of your Easter celebrations; such as a bunny, chick, or duckling - just please keep in mind that it is a commitment for the lifetime of that animal just as with any other pet. All too frequently, people get the adorable fluffy critters in the spirit of the season but find themselves ill-equipped to handle the dietary, veterinary, and other needs of the animals and they get abandoned or die before their time. Those little chicks become chickens all too quickly, and even the ducklings are full grown within 30 days.

 
A former neighbor of mine had given their kid a bunny for Easter and the poor thing got stuck outside in a hutch with little shelter from the elements. It was alone and miserable, and I was helpless to save it. (We called the appropriate authorities and their inspection deemed the conditions just enough on the side of legal that they couldn't take action.)

Whatever you choose to do to celebrate the Easter season (if you do), we hope you have a fun and safe weekend!


But I Digress... is a weekly column for trustthedice.com that can't be pinned down to just one thing. It's Cat's celebration of tangents, random references, and general fan geekdom that both intertwines with, revolves around, and diverges from our movie-review core. In homage to the beloved Brit comedians, we want to bring you something completely different!

Friday, April 14, 2017

Valley of Love (2015) - Foreign Film Friday



Number Rolled: 96
Movie Name/Year: Valley of Love (2015)
Tagline: Waiting for a miracle to cure lost love and regret.
Genre: Drama
Length: 92 minutes
Rating: NR
Production Companies: Les Films du Worso, LGM Productions, Scope Pictures, France 3 Cinema, DD Productions, Cinefeel Prod, Cinemage 9, Soficinema 11, Cofinoa 11, Palatine Etoile 12, Canal+, France Televisions, Le Pacte, Centre National de la Cinematographie, Le Tax Shelter du Gouvernement Federal de Belgique, SCOPE Invest, Nu Films
Producer: Patrick Batteux, Cyril Colbeau-Justin, Jean-Baptiste Dupont, Serge Hayat, Genevieve Lemal, Sylvie Pialat, Benoit Quainon, Catalina Restrepo
Director: Guillaume Nicloux
Writer: Guillaume Nicloux, David H. Pickering
Actors: Isabelle Huppert, Gerard Depardieu, Dan Warner, Aurelia Thierree, Dionne Houle
Stunt Doubles: N/A

Blurb from Netflix: Reeling from the suicide of their son, two aging film stars reunite in California’s Death Valley, where his final letter directs them to wait for him.


Selina’s Point of View:
This film was the screened equivalent of a sleeping pill. I kept having to rewind and start parts over because my eyelids were drooping. Considering I was energetic beforehand, that says a lot.

Valley of Love spent huge amounts of time on such mundane stuff that it felt long and dragging. The very first scene is nearly four full minutes of watching the back of a woman’s head as she walks. You might think that’s not so bad because a lot of movies open with credits and that would be the prime scene to show them… but there were none of those to distract from the absolute nothingness that was happening.


There were tons of scenes just like that. If the editors had left every unnecessary bit of footage they could find out, the film would be a grand total of thirty minutes long. I'm almost positive. 

To be honest, that would have still been too long.

I was so bored that I couldn’t even accurately tell you what it was about more than just the Netflix blurb.

I’ve got very little more to say. Watching paint dry has never been a hobby of mine.


Cat’s Point of View:
I am so confused.

It’s clear that this is one of those ‘art house’ films that’s supposed to be vague. I even applaud that they won an award for cinematography- the film certainly deserved it there. There were some shots of the Death Valley scenery that were simply breathtaking and they expertly captured the essence of the stark landscape.

Beyond that, it was about as entertaining as watching grass grow.

This sort of drama just simply isn’t my thing. It seemed like they were trying to dabble in a little bit of a different genre but I don’t think they were very successful.


Hats off to Gérard Depardieu (Life of Pi, A Farewell to Fools, Stalin's Couch) and Isabelle Huppert (The Nun, Paris Follies, Louder Than Bombs) for their excellent portrayals of their roles. Part of my confusion, however, is that they seemed to be playing themselves in the film – aging actors no longer quite in the limelight reuniting after a long time. What isn’t clear is whether or not this is based on any sort of true story – even in part. I couldn’t seem to find any sources that would comment one way or another.

The characters were awkward, annoying at times, and even tragic in their own way – which made them successful in connecting with me, as an audience. I just wasn’t a fan of the meandering of the story or the dry subject matter. (I really didn’t mean to pun but I’m keeping it, damn it.)

Did we really need to watch someone roll a suitcase around a hotel exterior for what felt like an eternity at the beginning? (In reality it was likely about 4 or 5 minutes as a guess.)

On the upside, the subtitles weren’t bad; and, in fact, were shown below the letterbox of the movie so that they were easy to read. Other than that, I’m afraid this was a flop.


Languages
Speech Available: French
Subtitles Available: English

Rotten Tomatoes Critic Score – 73%
Rotten Tomatoes Audience Score – 59%

Selina’s Rating1/5
Cat’s Rating2/5

Trust-the-Dice’s Parental Advisory Rating: PG-13

Movie Trailer:

Wednesday, April 12, 2017

Meet the Blacks (2016)



Number Rolled: 40
Movie Name/Year: Meet the Blacks (2016)
Tagline: Just when you thought it was safe to move to Beverly Hills…
Genre: Comedy
Length: 93 minutes
Rating: R
Production Companies: Hidden Empire Film Group
Producer: Darrick Angelone, Roxanne Avent, Derek Dudley, Mike Epps, Michael Finley, Venu Kondle, Heather Kritzer, Shannon McIntosh, Tony Parker, RZA, Robert F. Smith, Snoop Dogg, Deon Taylor
Director: Deon Taylor
Writer: Nicole DeMasi, Deon Taylor
Actors: Mike Epps, Gary Owen, Zulay Henao, Bresha Webb, Lil Duval, Charlie Murphy, Phil Austin, Andrew Bachelor, Lavell Crawford, DeRay Davis, Kate Enggren, Alex Henderson, George Lopez, Mike Tyson, Perez Hilton, Kathrien Ahn, Tameka ‘Tiny’ Cottle, Michael Blackson, Snoop Dogg
Stunt Doubles: Michael Caradonna, Samuel J. Paul, Cj Stuart

Languages
Speech Available: English
Subtitles Available: English

Blurb from Netflix: A black dad from Chicago with a recent influx of cash moves his family to Beverly Hills just before the city’s annual purge, when all crime is legal.


Selina’s Point of View:
As parodies go, this one wasn’t the worst of them.

Meet the Blacks had moments that were too cringe-worthy or racially driven for my particular taste, but there were parts that were hilarious enough to make up for it.

The entire way the film was set up allowed it to make fun of Hollywood as a whole instead of just The Purge (2013).

For instance, Snoop Dogg (Pitch Perfect 2, Scary Movie 5, The Big Bang) plays a white man in the beginning, for the introduction. That puts a whole new spin on the term ‘white-washing’. As another example, Meet the Blacks was also set up to be a parody sequel to the original. I can’t say more on that without spoiling, but I can say that the insinuated spin on remake/reboot/sequel culture in Hollywood made the film more enjoyable for me.

The acting and the story were pretty much exactly what you’d expect from a parody. Nothing was out of this world amazing, but it was fine for the genre.


When it comes to the parody genre, you have to expect different things than you do from a serious film. Breaking the fourth wall, overacting, plot holes, twists that don’t entirely make sense; all of that can actually elevate a parody where it would destroy a serious film.

I enjoyed the movie. It’s not something I would choose to watch again, but that’s not because it was bad. It’s just a matter of personal taste.

As a note, this is one of those films that critics hated and audiences loved. In fact, the difference between the two Rotten Tomato percentages is staggering. I’ve mentioned why this happens – especially to parodies – in the past. Critics want technicality. They want everything to make sense and follow a set of established movie rules that film professors everywhere would be proud of. Parodies can’t do that. By definition, they’re making fun of the serious films and follow a whole different set of guidelines.

I’ve said this before, and I’ll say it every single time we watch a spoof movie for this blog. Critics have absolutely no business critiquing parody films. If you try to judge a fish on how well it climbs trees, it’s going to fail. By the same logic, if you judge a parody by serious film standards, it will too.

Why is this such a difficult concept for critics to grasp? It feels simple to me.


Cat’s Point of View:
This movie was absolutely ridiculous. Ludicrous might actually be a better word, but I’m still on the fence. I haven’t laughed and felt this guilty for laughing (while face-palming at the same time) in a long time.

Meet the Blacks is to The Purge (2013) what the Scary Movie (2000) movies have been to the Scream (1996) franchise. It’s a rollicking spoof film that pokes fun at the movie that was its inspiration. I lost count of the number of racial stereotypes they tried to cram into this film – but then, I wasn’t exactly keeping score.

Mike Tyson (Entourage, Ip Man 3, Back in the Day) and George Lopez (Balls of Fury, April Apocalypse, Rio 2) have surprising roles in the film, which I won’t spoil for you. I can say that Tyson’s character was just outrageous. I think I laughed at the aesthetics of his part more than the actual scene with his character.

One has to wonder if Mike Epps (The Lottery Ticket, Fifty Shades of Black, Term Life) actively seeks out roles like this or if he just happens to be somewhat type-cast into characters such as Carl  Black or prior roles such as Day-Day in the Next Friday (2000) franchise.


This was a far cry from Zulay Henao’s (Boy Wonder, White Space, Destined) role in True Memoirs of an International Assassin (2016), which we reviewed back in early December of 2016. She brought just the right amount of over-the-top that this movie called for along with enough of a connection to her character that she was mostly believable as the step-mom in this outlandish situation.

All told, I don’t think that the movie was horrible. It ran closer to the ‘so bad it’s good’ category without actually being GOOD. Decent would be a better word.

This is not a film for anyone easily offended, either. There is a cringe worthy amount of ‘the N word’ in this movie. So much. Definitely consider this a hard R rating. There isn’t really nudity involved but there are definitely adult themes to go with the language.

I ended the movie groaning much like someone had told me a corny joke I couldn’t help but laugh at even though it was awful. I can’t say that I’d watch this again, but it was at least moderately entertaining and, if in some small way, calls attention to the social situations that the employed stereotypes poke at.


Rotten Tomatoes Critic Score – 13%
Rotten Tomatoes Audience Score – 74%

Selina’s Rating3.5/5
Cat’s Rating2.5/5

Movie Trailer:

Monday, April 10, 2017

V/H/S: Viral (2014)



Number Rolled: 45
Movie Name/Year: V/H/S: Viral (2014)
Tagline: Mayhem goes viral.
Genre: Horror, Thriller
Length: 81 minutes
Rating: R
Production Companies: The Collective Studios, Bloody Disgusting, 8383 Productions, Crafty Apes, Bishop Studios LLC, Sayaka Producciones Audiovisuales, AM Films, Studio71
Producer: Roxanne Benjamin, Justin Benson, Gary Binkow, Gregg Bishop, Theo Brooks, Dan Caudill, Vince Cupone, Beck Engle, Adam Hendricks, Nahikari Ipina, John H. Lang, David Lawson Jr., Brad Miska, Aaron Moorhead, Nils Onsager, Tom Owen, Morgan Patterson, Andrew Reyes, Sten Saluveer, Marcel Sarmiento, Manuel Sanchez, Christopher White, Zak Zeman, Matt Daneri
Director: Justin Benson, Gregg Bishop, Todd Lincoln, Aaron Moorhead, Marcel Sarmiento, Nacho Vigalondo
Writer: T.J. Cimfel, David White, Marcel Sarmiento, Gregg Bishop, Nacho Vigalondo, Justin Benson, Brad Miska, Todd Lincoln, Aaron Moorhead, Ed Dougherty
Actors: Patrick Lawrie, Emilia Ares Zoryan, Stephanie Silver, Val Vega, Angela Garcia, Chad Guerrero, Jorge Marquez, Steve Robles, Gary Sugarman, Noelle Ann Mabry, Justin Welborn, Emmy Argo, Dan Caudill, Michael Aaron Milligan, John Curran, Susan Williams, Randy McDowell, Carrie Keegan, Cory Rouse, Marian Alvarez, Gustavo Salmeron, Nick Blanco, Chase Newton, Shane Brady, Peter Villalba, Jessica Landon, Kelly Misek Jr.
Stunt Doubles: Nabuco Donosor, Alissa Valente Feucht

Languages
Speech Available: English
Subtitles Available: English

Blurb from Netflix: During a police chase, amateurs rush to shoot videos they hope will go viral, unwittingly casting themselves as victims in cyber story.


Selina’s Point of View:
I still hate shaky-cam. It’s always been necessary for the V/H/S series, though. Up until now, that hatred didn’t boil over onto the series.

The problem is that the V/H/S series greatly relies on the framing device to tie its stories together and, because of that framing device, the found footage aspect is necessary. It becomes an actual part of the stories and elevates them to new heights.

This film was different.

It’s like the creators of V/H/S: Viral completely forgot about a framing device and just stitches something together at the last minute to throw in-between the segments. I’m sorry, but that’s not how something like that works; especially if you’re trying to tie together stories in an anthology. There needs to be that definite, solid story that makes the rest of it fall into place like puzzle pieces.


This was just a hot mess.

Even the theme got muddled. There was a supernatural aspect, but then it was about social media, but then it was supposed to be a punishment kind of thing… really? Make up your damn mind. It’s like they took all the stories that weren’t good enough for the first two and said, “eh, this works. Print it.”

It pains me to say how lazy and awful this film was because I rather enjoyed the first two.

This is just another case of people going too far with sequels and fucking up the whole brand.


Cat’s Point of View:
I was fervently hoping that this third movie would improve on the series and would avoid some of the pitfalls that the prior V/H/S movies fell into. Alas, I do not have good news to report here.

I enjoyed this the least out of the three. However, even with that said, there were two segments that I found tolerable and semi-interesting – ‘Dante the Great’ and ‘Parallel Monsters.’

Nacho Vigalondo (Timecrimes, Extraterrestrial, Open Windows), director of the ‘Parallel Monsters’ segment, is no stranger to anthologies. He was the director of the ‘A is for Apocalypse’ segment of The ABCs of Death (2012). If you’ve followed our blog for a while, you might recall that I absolutely loathed that film experience. As a strange yin to that yang, though, he is also the writer and director for the recently released Colossal (2016), which is a movie I really want to watch.


The story that tied all the anthology shorts together was disappointing. There was too much craziness with showing the compromised video effects, the shaky cam was bananas, and it didn’t even make sense. I got the general gist of it but it just wasn’t clear how the different segments tied into that story.

I sincerely hope they don’t make another of these. I’d feel compelled to watch it in spite of the fact I hold little hope for improvement. As it stands, I have no intention of watching this one again.


Rotten Tomatoes Critic Score – 39%
Rotten Tomatoes Audience Score – 14%

Selina’s Rating1/5
Cat’s Rating1.5/5

Trust-the-Dice’s Parental Advisory Rating:

P.S. During part of the credits the movie plays in rewind behind the colors.

Movie Trailer: