"We're not critics. We're professional fan-girls." --- This blog is dedicated to movies and the entertainment industry. We use random selection to bring into light the best and worst of streaming films and entertainment news.
Streaming Services: N/A Movie Name/Year: Sator (2021) Genre: Horror Length: 85 minutes Rating: Unrated Production/Distribution: Mistik Jade Films, Film
Emporium Director: Jordan Graham Writer: Jordan Graham Actors: Michael Daniel, Rachel Johnson, Aurora Lowe, Gabriel
Nicholson, June Peterson, Wendy Taylor
Blurb from IMDb: Secluded in a desolate
forest, a broken family is observed by Sator, a supernatural entity who is
attempting to claim them.
Selina’s Point of View: Sator has been getting the kind of reviews
that directors dream about. I see where the majority of reviewers are coming
from. That said, I have a much different take. I’ll start off
with the parts of the reviews I agree with.
Sator was not a jump-scare kind of flick. Writer/Director
Jordan Graham (Specter, Midground, Spirit Link) shrugged off any of that
typical, trope-y shit that we have seen way too much of. Anything that the
horror genre has too much of sprinkled within, Graham keeps far away from this
film. You’re not going
to hear that annoying high-pitched squealing music and then see a cat run by. The
protagonist isn’t going to close a mirror to reveal the demon standing behind
him, only for him to look and see that it’s gone. There’s none of that.
Of course, for
the majority of the movie there’s not a whole lot of anything.
The problem is
that he removed all the stuff we don’t want to see anymore, but forgot to replace
it with anything. I felt like there was nothing to invest my interest in for
the first half of the film.
The setting was
spooky enough, but because the lighting was so dark, it was hard to see
anything anyway. There are no answers – which is fine for a first half – but I
feel like there are no questions either.
Maybe it’s me.
Maybe it was all too cerebral for me.
I found enough
questions answered at the end for me to say I enjoyed the finale, but I’m not
sure it was worth the entire watch. It was barely an hour and a half, but it felt
like it took six hours to get anywhere.
If you enjoy art
house/experimental horror that doesn’t put a whole lot of energy into the ‘entertainment’
quality, then this is for you. I don’t have the attention span for it.
Sator will be available to purchase, or
rent, in North America on February 9th.
Cat’s Point of View: I was super
excited to get a chance to screen this movie. I actually threw myself in blind
without watching the trailer beforehand, either. I knew that this was going to
be a horror movie, but that was where my expectations ended.
Now that I’ve
watched Sator, I have to say: I’m a bit flummoxed. While the film was in
progress I was slightly confused. The longer I’ve ruminated on it since the
credits rolled, however, I’m finding a clearer picture of what I think
transpired.
I’m going to be
straight up, for the sake of disclosure, and admit that I might currently be a
little harder to please than usual. My family and I are currently ill and I’ve
found it’s affected my patience and attention span to some degree. So, take my
interpretation with a grain of salt.
Don’t get me
wrong, there were plenty of good things about this film. It was just another
slow burn, and it had a bit of a meandering fuse. I was hoping for fireworks at
the climax, and I got a spark fountain that was no less pretty, it just wasn’t
as lofty as I’d hoped.
I found the
switch between letterbox and small-screen perspective interesting as well as
the shift from black and white to color – depending on the setting. Some parts
of the film felt nearly documentary-esque.
The locations
were well chosen for this picture. The redwood forests of Northern California
make an excellent backdrop for an eerie supernatural vibe. Some of the shots
were absolutely gorgeous. While it was clear that this production didn’t have a
blockbuster budget, I think they really did well with what they had to work
with.
Everything was so
understated and steeped in ambiance that I found myself jumping more easily
than normal at the slightest provocation. I was amused when my own startles
seemed to echo some of the alarming moments of the main character. It felt like
I was in their shoes for a time.
While Sator
didn’t exactly turn out as I was expecting, I was still intrigued. I can’t say
that I’d watch it again, though, because the suspense just wouldn’t be the
same.
If you give this
one a try, be sure you’re watching at night or in a dark room. I found I got so
much more out of the experience watching at night because my screen just
blended into the darkness around me and drew me further into the movie.
Streaming Services: HBO Max Movie Name/Year: The Little Things (2021) Genre: Crime, Drama, Thriller Length: 127 minutes Rating: R Production/Distribution: Gran Via, Universal
Pictures International (UPI), Warner Bros. Pictures Germany, Warner Bros.
Pictures, Warner Bros., HBO Max Director: John Lee Hancock Writer: John Lee Hancock Actors: Denzel Washington, Rami Malek, Jared Leto, Chris Bauer,
Michael Hyatt, Terry Kinney, Natalie Morales, Isabel Arraiza, Joris Jarsky,
Glenn Morshower, Sofia Vassilieva, Jason James Richter, John Harlan Kim,
Frederick Koehler, Judith Scott, Maya Kazan, Tiffany Gonzalez, Anna McKitrick,
Sheila Houlahan, Ebony N Mayo, Olivia Washington, Sophia Castro, Calliah Sophie
Estrada, Thomas Crawford, Jeff Corbett, Stephanie Erb Blurb from IMDb: Kern County Deputy Sheriff
Joe Deacon is sent to Los Angeles for what should have been a quick
evidence-gathering assignment. Instead, he becomes embroiled in the search for
a serial killer who is terrorizing the city.
Selina’s Point of View: There isn’t a
person alive that doesn’t like Denzel Washington (Inside Man, Safe House,
The Equalizer). You can’t convince me there is. He’s a professional of the
highest caliber. So, when I see his name on a cast list, I expect to be blown
away. This time I wasn’t. The
Little Things
felt mediocre, which is a shame because it really tried to be more. It relied heavily
on tropes, but not without reason. Those tropes were supposed to make the
audience feel comfortable. Like we knew exactly where everything was going. It
was MEANT to feel mediocre, until the end. It was a really
risky choice. They bet everything on the ending and, as good as that ending
was, it didn’t excuse nearly 2-hours-worth of basic-bitch filling.
There were plots
that went nowhere and horrific choices made by otherwise smart characters. It all
led up to this huge reveal ending that was – admittedly – really well done.
Unfortunately, getting there was a chore. No amount of great
acting by Washington, Jared Leto (Mr. Nobody, Dallas Buyers Club, Blade
Runner: 2049), or Rami Malek (Need for Speed, Night at the Museum:
Secret of the Tomb, Papillon) was able to change just how obnoxious the road
to the finale was. I don’t know what
would have helped this movie. A few changes here and there would have made it
less annoying to trudge through, but it would have irreversibly altered the
shock of the ending. I believe, for the story to work, it had to be laid out
the way it was. I didn’t hate it.
As painful as the majority of it was, the last 10 to 15-minutes are going to
stick with me. It became memorable. Would I recommend
it? I don’t know. It would heavily depend on who was asking and whether or not
their enjoyment of a film is based on the destination or the trip. If it’s all
about the trip to you, I don’t think this is the flick to go with.
Cat’s Point of View: When you have a
trifecta of Oscar winners headlining a movie, (such as Jared Leto, Denzel
Washington, and Rami Malek), it goes without saying that there’s an expectation
of quality. I had high hopes for The Little Things. The trailer gave
me the impression of a really involved cat-and-mouse murder mystery. Based on
that and the star-power quotient, I even had this film listed on my Top 20 list
for January. While I don’t
regret my decision regarding this movie’s placement, I can’t say that it lived
up to all of my expectations. It was a slow burn, and as a result, I felt the
passing of the entire 2 hours of its length. There were some twists that
elevated the story and left me feeling unsettled, and yet I can’t quite decide
if part of that is the disappointment that I didn’t quite get the ride I was
hoping for.
I’ve heard The
Little Things has been compared to Se7en (1995). While I did get a
few vibes of that film as I was watching, I can’t say that the movies are on
the same level. Though, I do have to admit that I did have a similar ‘well,
damn’ moment, or two, with the big reveals at the end. It was
interesting to experience a throw-back to the time period when payphones were
still relevant and beepers were the go-to. I wish I could
say I enjoyed this film more than I did. Alas, I’m rather ambivalent in
general. I certainly wouldn’t steer anyone away from it, but I likely won’t be
watching it again.
Rotten Tomatoes Critic Score – 48% Rotten Tomatoes Audience Score – 64% Metascore – 54/100 Metacritic User Score – 6.2/10 IMDB Score – 6.3/10 Trust the Dice: Selina’s Rating – 3/5 Trust the Dice: Cat’s Rating – 2.5/5 Movie Trailer:
10 – Malcolm
& Marie (2/5) Production/Distribution:
Little Lamb, The Reasonable Bunch, Netflix Director: Sam
Levinson Writer: Sam Levinson Actors: John
David Washington, Zendaya Genre: Drama,
Romance Rated: R Length: 106
minutes IMDb Blurb: A director and his girlfriend's relationship is
tested after they return home from his movie premiere and await critics'
responses. There’s been some controversy over this film that I’ve
decided to address first. The thing people are having an issue with is that John David
Washington (Tenet, BlacKkKlansman, Monster) is older than Zendaya (Euphoria,
The OA, Spider-Man: Far from Home). People are acting as if Zendaya’s a
minor. She’s 24. She’s a grown-ass woman. Shut the fuck up. I have nothing else
to say on that. Moving on. The entire story is told in one place. It’s told in the
relationship between two people. There are no outside influences. No colorful settings
to distract us.
This is the kind of film that is a true showcase of the
actors. The direction and the writing can be as good as it wants, but the actors
are the ones who are either going to bring it home, or drop the ball. In this case, I have faith in both actors. Zendaya has come
a long way since Disney, and Washington has this hard-to-look-away-from
presence that makes him seem larger than life at times. If anyone is going to pull
this idea off, it’s them. As long as they’re at the top of their game. The camera will pick up on any cracks in their chemistry. Anything
off is going to feel like a HUGE issue. I’d definitely call Malcolm & Marie the dark
horse for the month. 9 – Flora &
Ulysses (2/19) Production/Distribution:
Walt Disney Pictures, Netter Productions, Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures,
Disney+ Director: Lena
Khan Writer: Brad
Copeland, Kate DiCamillo Actors: Alyson
Hannigan, Danny Pudi, Kate Micucci, Ben Schwartz, Bobby Moynihan, Emma Oliver,
Benjamin Evan Ainsworth, John Kassir, Nancy Robertson, Christine Lee, Matilda
Lawler, Jesse Reid, Nicholas Dohy Genre: Adventure,
Comedy, Family Rated: PG Length: Unknown IMDb Blurb: The adventures of a young girl and a squirrel with
superpowers. Girl meets superhero squirrel. If this works out, I’m going
to be even more pissed that it was a rat instead of a squirrel that saved the
day in Avengers: Endgame (2019). Just saying. How cute does this trailer look, though? There’s humor,
family fun, and even some action. I honestly believe that this is the kind of
film adults will enjoy watching with their kids. Maybe not the 100th time, but
definitely like the first three. 8 – Bliss (2/5)
