Anthology - Revisiting Personal Cinematic Landscape

I’ve been sick for a few weeks, which is why these articles have been a little slow to come out, but I’m finally on the mend.
 
Moving on.
 
One of the things that have happened since the first time I wrote about my personal cinematic landscape was the pandemic. Say what you will about that time, but it felt pretty apocalyptic when it was going down. I’m from New York, the city that never sleeps. During that time, it slept. The streets of Times Square were barren, the sounds of the city quieted, and even the food trucks went on their way. Reports of deaths mixed with the sour tone of conspiracy theorists telling the world that our vaccines had tracking chips in them. People faced the fear with everything from a strange game where astronaut jellybeans killed each other in secret, to splattercore books (a genre I didn’t even know existed until then), to video chatting, to straight-up denial. I kidnapped my mother so that she wouldn’t be alone for, what was supposed to be, a couple of weeks but it stretched into almost a year.
 
I’d seen some scary things before COVID, but that was the first time it felt like the apocalypse could be more than just something that happened twice a season on Supernatural (2005-2020).
 
The pandemic definitely altered the way I view films in the apocalyptic genre.
 
I’m not entirely sure I still agree with the list I originally gave. Although I enjoy Zombieland (2009), I don’t think it’s really altered my cinematic landscape the way I once did. Same goes for This is the End (2013). They’re good films, but my take on apocalyptic movies would be the same without them. At least now. World War Z (2013) also doesn’t feel like an addition to the apocalyptic genre to me, but more of a flick to consider where adaptations are concerned.
 
World War Z, the book, is a compilation of various tales of people entering a zombie apocalypse. It’s set up as a kind of case study. None of the characters in the film are ever even seen in the book. I think the flick shows an interesting way to adapt that kind of novel. Instead of telling a story already told by author Max Brooks, the creators opted to add another to the anthology. From an adaptation stance, I think that’s brilliant. From an apocalypse perception, however, it’s basic zombies.
 
Cargo (2017) is the only film I originally listed that would still be a part of my apocalypse landscape today.
 
So, what apocalyptic films DO alter the way I view the genre?
 
I’ll start with the one that that means more to me now than it did before the pandemic: 28 Days Later (2002).
 

Watching that film in the aftermath of COVID gave me chills. Seeing London as empty as Times Square in 2020 was much more harrowing than it had been before. There’s a certain hollowness, a hopelessness, that grips me when watching that scene now. It’s the embodiment of what an apocalypse feels like, and it puts me on my heels as I watch the rest of the events unfold.
 
The zombie aspects are better than in most undead movies (fast, easier infection, etc.), but it’s that overall feel in the beginning that reflects something I’ve now actually felt. It allows me to relate on a deeper level and creates a more frightening experience.
 
There’s something to be said for pulling from real situations for a horror film. It makes the impossible seem more realistic and terrifying.
 

Then there’s Train to Busan (2016). Although it came out before 2018, I only saw it after my original articles were put out. It instantly became one of my favorite zombie movies. It also opened me up more to Korean cinema, which is where I prefer to find my horror these days. The story of a not-so-great dad taking care of his daughter and redeeming himself as the world turns to rot is one that tugs at the heart strings and absolutely destroys me by the conclusion.
 
Without Train to Busan I’d have seen maybe half the apocalyptic films I have by now. Most of them I watched because this one Korean zombie flick opened my eyes to them. Without it, my taste for the sub-genre would be much more basic.
 
The last addition to my personal cinematic landscape for the apocalypse sub-genre is A Quiet Place (2018).
 

I had to choose between three options for this spot because they all felt like a possible entry for the same basic reason. The other options were Bird Box (2018) and Blood Quantum (2019).
 
In all three films there’s an entire group of people that are unaffected by the subject of the apocalypse. In Blood Quantum, indigenous people have a quality to their blood that keeps them from being infected with the virus. While in A Quiet Place and Bird Box it’s a disability that protects people from invaders.
 
I decided to choose A Quiet Place for this article because it’s the one that does it best. I almost put it in the minimal dialogue category, but there’s actually quite a bit of talking that happens. The majority of that conversation just happens to be in sign language.
 
The idea of an entire group of people being protected from an apocalypse was relatively new to me with these films and, as it turns out, it’s an idea I really love. That idea that something can protect a person that’s completely out of their control – whether it’s heritage or a physical issue – is something that I feel gives a lot more depth to a story. I see it done more now, and I do tend to gravitate toward those plots when I see them. If A Quiet Place wasn’t as amazing as it was, it might not be something I looked at all that hard in the future.

Kids vs. Aliens (2023)

Streaming Service: Shudder
Movie Name/Year: Kids vs. Aliens (2023)
Genre: Horror, Sci-Fi
Length: 1h 15min
Rating: TV-MA
Production/Distribution: Yer Dead, Shut Up & Colour Pictures, Bloody Disgusting, Cinepocalypse Productions, Studio71, RLJE Films, Shudder
Director: Jason Eisener
Writer: Jason Eisener, John Davies
Actors: Dominic Mariche, Phoebe Rex, Calem MacDonald, Asher Grayson, Ben Tactor, Emma Vickers, Isaiah Fortune, Jonathan Torrens
 
Blurb from IMDb: An all-time rager of a teen house party turns to terror when aliens attack, forcing two warring siblings to band together to survive the night.
 

Selina’s Point of View:
Kids vs. Aliens was almost everything I was hoping for. It was weird, gritty, and still somewhat endearing.
 
I’ll be the first to admit that it wouldn’t be for everyone. You need to have a love for these kinds of films. I, personally, have that love. I grew up with it. Most 80s kids did. For us, this kind of flick is almost nostalgic. Kids vs. Aliens lives up to what those older science fictions, and creature features, made me feel.
 
The campy acting and familiar teen stereotypes made me smile – right up until some ballsy choices were made. Most flicks would have gone in much more predictable directions. Taking that hard left with certain characters felt new. You have to respect that.
 

I was hoping for a bit more comedy – but that’s on me. It’s not marketed as any kind of comedy. That’s just my personal preference. I do also think that it would have been better if the aliens had been more of a surprise. If they weren’t in the title or the marketing, there could have been a bit more mystery around what was going on. You don’t actually get aliens until the middle of the film (except for a short scene in the beginning with unrelated characters). The movie was taken more seriously than played for laughs, so I think that hold-back would have upped the tension ten-fold.
 
The climax was still pretty badass.
 
I think Kids vs. Aliens is worth streaming. It will be available through Shudder on April 14.
 

Cat’s Point of View:
The premise of Kids vs. Aliens seemed to promise a ludicrous romp through alien invasion horror. I expected it to fall into the ‘so bad it’s good’ category.
 
The story painted a picture of protagonists you wanted to root for, and set up a foundation for events well before the aliens even entered the picture. It felt like the old-school “kids on bikes” sort of throwback adventures… but put into a blender with graphic horror content. Don’t forget the aliens. (I know I won’t.)
 
Let’s talk a little bit about the effects used in Kids vs. Aliens. Sure, the production had a bit of a low-budget feel, but I think they did a great job. The aliens were really creepy and clearly managed with practical effects. The setting was great to facilitate the story. Even the kids’ movie props were believable and fit what I would expect from the sort of scenario depicted in the movie. There was really only one creature on the alien team involved with the film that took me out of things a bit and had me saying “really??” out loud as I was watching. It generally worked anyway and didn’t entirely disrupt my enjoyment of the movie as a whole.
 
When we watched the trailer, we had discussed the trivia tidbit that Kids vs. Aliens was an expanded adaptation from the short segment “Slumber Party Alien Abduction” from V/H/S/2 (2013). The writing partnership of John Davies (Hobo with a Shotgun, V/H/S/2, The Luckiest Most Unlucky Man in the World) and Jason Eisner (Treevenge, The ABCs of Death: Y is for Youngbuck, Dark Side of the Ring), with Eisner at the directing helm, was also responsible for the short this film was based on.
 

I’m glad they re-visited that story. I didn’t really like any of the characters in the short. There wasn’t anyone to root for – except the poor dog. It’s no wonder the pooch got top billing for the segment. With Kids vs. Aliens, we got to see a reimagining of the story with a bit more character development and a peek into a more of the alien shenanigans. There’s even a bit of a twist that I should have seen coming and surprised me all the same. It wasn’t even given away by the trailers (and the scenes in the trailers gave away quite a bit).
 
The post-credits scene had me cheering.
 
I see that it’s getting a lot of divisive reviews due to the “coarse language”, and I think critics really just need to suck it up and realize that a film doesn’t have to watch its Ps and Qs to be fun. I think they should have taken a note from the tagline on the poster that says “F*ck Space” and watched with that understanding.
 
Was Kids vs. Aliens ground-breaking cinema expecting awards and accolades? No, not hardly. It was, however, a fun experience and I wouldn’t say no to watching it again with my 19-year-old once it releases.
 

Rotten Tomatoes Critic Score – 56%
Rotten Tomatoes Audience Score – 69%
Metascore – None
Metacritic User Score – None
IMDB Score –6.0/10
 
Trust the Dice: Selina’s Rating – 3.5/5
Trust the Dice: Cat’s Rating – 4/5
 
P.S. After-credits scene.
 
Movie Trailer:

Office Invasion (2022)

 

 
Streaming Service: Netflix
Movie Name/Year: Office Invasion (2022)
Genre: Action, Comedy, Sci-Fi
Length: 1h 52min
Rating: TV-MA
Production/Distribution: Motion Story, Netflix Worldwide Entertainment
Directors: Gareth Crocker, Fred Wolmarans
Writer: Gareth Crocker
Actors: Rea Rangaka, Kiroshan Naidoo, Sechaba Ramphele, Greg Viljoen, Stevel Marc, Aimee Ntuli, Desmond Dube, El Vanneme-Bekink, Kenneth Fok, Bonko Khoza, Ayanda Dyantyi, Daniel Janks, Claudine Ullman, Neels Clasen, Katlego Mohoaduba, Sherldon Marema, Roberto Pombo, Kate Liquorish, Kabomo Vilakazi, Marcus Mabusela, Kanyi Nokwe, Stephanie Hough, Khabonina Qubeka, Motsi Tekateka, Aubrey Mogale, Shadi Chauke, Kylie Fisher, Jack Devnarain, Sabelo Ndumo, Peter Ucko, Luthuli Dlamini, Bevan Cullinan, Ayanda Diyanti
 
IMDb Blurb: Three best friends band together to defend their valuable mining company from monstrous aliens looking to plunder and exterminate.

 

Cat’s Point of View:
Office Invasion offered one of those rare opportunities where I could go into a movie experience almost completely “blind.” I hadn’t heard of this film before, I didn’t recognize any of the cast or production team, and I hadn’t seen the trailer before. I read the IMDb description to my daughter to see if she was down for watching with me, and that’s it.
 
Based on that simple sentence, it gave the general impression of a mash-up between something like Office Space (1999) and Bloodsucking Bastards (2015). Of course, there would be differences due to alien monsters instead of vampires, and the mining company setting rather than a generic office building.

 

If not for the first scene of the movie and the poster shown on IMDb and Netflix while selecting the film for viewing, I would have wondered if this was supposed to be more like Horrible Bosses (2011). Maybe the word “alien” was being used in the loose sense, meaning that the people taking over the company were from somewhere overseas? I was so confused.
 
After that initial scene, there wasn’t a single whiff of extraterrestrials or even any sci-fi elements for the majority of the production. I had nearly written it all off until the very last act finally delivered. I appreciated what character development was present. I just wish that Office Invasion didn’t spend so long doing that and developing motive before getting to the meat of what made this an action and sci-fi story.

 
That aside, Office Invasion somewhat worked as a corporate office comedy. The horrible cost-cutting solutions were generally amusing, among the other few laugh-worthy situations. Over all, I just didn’t quite laugh as hard as I did with any of the 3 prior topically relevant films I mentioned.
 
Where the sci-fi elements were concerned, I don’t feel like Office Invasion leaned in hard enough. The effects for what they did show were decent. The story just seemed to be lacking. It probably didn’t help that I just recently began re-watching the new series of Doctor Who (2005-) with my daughter. There’s an episode in Season 1 that immediately came to mind while watching Office Invasion. Unfortunately, this movie paled in comparison to even that series’ occasionally hokey effects.
 
That said, Office Invasion was decent. It stays right in the middle lane and is neither horrible nor fantastic. If I wasn’t such a huge sci-fi fan, I might not have been quite as disappointed for how little of that genre was present on-screen. I don’t think anyone watching would necessarily be angry for the choice, but I am not sure that I’ll remember Office Invasion in the long run.

 
Rotten Tomatoes Critic Score – None
Rotten Tomatoes Audience Score – None
Metascore – None
Metacritic User Score – None
IMDB Score – 5.0/10
 
Trust the Dice: Cat’s Rating – 2.5/5
 
Movie Trailer:

The Seed (2022)

Streaming Service: Shudder
Movie Name/Year: The Seed (2022)
Genre: Comedy, Horror, Sci-Fi
Length: 91 minutes
Rating: Unrated
Production/Distribution: Camelot Films, Hardman Pictures, Shudder
Director: Sam Walker
Writer: Sam Walker
Actors: Lucy Martin, Sophie Vavasseur, Chelsea Edge, Anthony Edridge, Jamie Wittebrood, Shirley Barchou Pisani
 
IMDb Blurb: What starts out as girls weekend away in the Mojave desert becomes a tale of horror, death and alien invasion.

 
Cat’s Point of View:
The Seed had some stiff competition in the running for March’s Top 20 list and, unfortunately, didn’t make the cut. That being said, I was curious about the movie. Considering it was releasing as a Shudder original, chances were good we’d get access to a screener. Thus, here we are.
 
I have been sitting here for quite some time just staring at my computer screen – at a loss for where to begin describing this experience with The Seed.
 
It wasn’t horrible. I should start with that.
 
The story, itself, while it could probably use a little fine-tuning, was decent. The location chosen for the setting was pretty spectacular. The house had a real wow factor about it, and the landscape surrounding it gave credence to the isolation the characters experienced. There were some well-thought-out nuances laced throughout. I just felt The Seed had a predictable trajectory.

 
Here, we had another example of one of my biggest pet peeves in cinema – a trailer that gave away too much. If I had watched The Seed immediately after watching the trailer, I would have felt a sense that I’d just watched the whole thing twice. Considering the last time I’d seen The Seed’s trailer was weeks ago, I didn’t immediately experience anything more than Deja Vu. Of course, when I re-watched the trailer prior to writing this review, I was rather frustrated. There were also several comments on YouTube from viewers that echoed this sentiment. It’s sad to see a production shoot itself in the foot. In the case of The Seed, however, I could chalk it up to inexperience and hope that the production team is more selective in editing their next project’s teaser. I digress…
 
Considering this was writer/director Sam Walker’s (Tea Break, Small Gauge Trauma, The Spoilt Earth) full-length feature debut, and the lack of major studio backing, I think The Seed fared better than expected. The production value for most of the film was fairly good. Some of the scenes involving the creature were strange – but why not, really. The Seed used practical effects well to achieve its strange and disgusting results.
 
The Seed might be an odd little alien invasion movie, but I’m not entirely sorry I saw it. I’m not sure that it would stand up in the test of time; however, I wouldn’t go out of my way to steer anyone away from it. There’s something fitting to the story of ‘influencers’ getting influenced, themselves. Just remember to skip the trailer if you don’t want spoilers.

 
Rotten Tomatoes Critic Score – 60%
Rotten Tomatoes Audience Score – None
Metascore – None
Metacritic User Score – None
IMDB Score – 4.9/10
 
Trust the Dice: Parental Advisory Rating – R
 
Trust the Dice: Cat’s Rating – 3/5
 
Movie Trailer:

Apocalypse Rising (2018)

Streaming Service: Paramount+
Movie Name/Year: Apocalypse Rising (2018)
Genre: Adventure, Comedy, Fantasy
Length: 83 minutes
Rating: TV-MA
Production/Distribution: Giant Meteor Films, Rathe Productions, Gravitas Ventures
Director: Richard Lowry
Writer:  Gregory P. Wolk
Actors: Hunter Alexes Parker, Shane Samples, Justin Lebrun, Johanna Rae, Victoria Steadman, James R. Frey, Kelly Brown, Shiah Luna, David Namminga, Ketalyn Levario, Dennis Marin, John R. Mangus
 
Blurb from IMDb: They came from a doomed world to save us from the same fate.
 

Selina’s Point of View:
Apocalypse Rising is a low-budget B-movie, so I’ll be comparing it only to other films like it. Fish can’t climb trees, after all.
 
The thing that drew me to this movie was the plot. The mix of undead horror and hard sci-fi, at least in this context, is not something I’ve ever seen before. Aliens coming from a warring planet only to find Earth in the process of starting a zombie apocalypse? I knew it was risky, but I was so here for the idea.
 
What makes a B-movie good is not necessarily quality. It’s when the flick is fun to watch. Either because it’s over-the-top ridiculous – like Sharknado (2013), super relatable to at least one group – like The Gamers: Dorkness Rising (2008), accidentally funny – like The Wicker Man (2006), or because it’s so bad it’s good – like The VelociPastor (2018). Are any of them the kind that people would spend 20 bucks to see in theaters? Of course not. But they make for good watching with a group of friends and a bucket of popcorn.
 

Luckily, Apocalypse Rising didn’t take itself too seriously. I found it watchable, actually. It could have been as good as Starship Troopers (1997), but there were a few missteps. The most glaring of which was the sex scenes. I could have done with about 87 less of them. It might have made the flick come in at just around an hour long, but it also would have wound up being good enough to have that possibility of cult status.
 
I do believe that Apocalypse Rising dips a toe into the ‘so bad it’s good’ category. It walks the line a little closer than I’d prefer, but I don’t regret watching it. I did have some fun.
 
It’s absolutely not for everyone. As mentioned, there are WAY too many sex scenes (even if they are more parody than porn), there’s a lot of over-the-top acting, and one-note characters. If I was comparing Apocalypse Rising to a bigger film, it would not make the cut. For what it is, however… it was a lot better than most. It had a decent story, and I liked the ending. It was unique.
 
Apocalypse Rising could make for some funny watching for a friends-night-in or a zoom-movie-call. Just make sure to bring your sense of humor. Don’t take it too seriously.
 

Rotten Tomatoes Critic Score – None
Rotten Tomatoes Audience Score – None
Metascore – None
Metacritic User Score – None
IMDB Score – 4.4/10
 
Trust the Dice: Selina’s Rating – 3/5
 
Movie Trailer:

The Dustwalker (2019)

Streaming Services: Hulu, Hoopla
Movie Name/Year: The Dustwalker (2019)
Genre: Drama, Sci-Fi, Thriller
Length:  95 minutes
Rating: Unrated
Production/Distribution: Three Feet Of Film, Head Gear Films, Kreo Films FZ, Metrol Technology, Myth Factory Films, SunJive Studios, Hark, Umbrella Entertainment
Director: Sandra Sciberras
Writer: Sandra Sciberras
Actors: Jolene Anderson, Stef Dawson, Richard Davies, Cassandra Magrath, Talina Naviede, Harry Greenwood, Ruby Duncan, Caleb Sciberras Scott, Ben Mortley, Ryan Allen, Oscar Harris, Lis Hoffman, Jackson Lucas, Shyla Vivian, Alexandra Nell, John Harvie Morris, Chloe Brown, Rayne Moses, Michael O'Brien, Russell Lambe, Sam Dudley, Joyce Penny, Cecile Charles, Nina Deasley, Andrew Bennett, Peter Barron, Ewan Scott, Oliver Wynn
 
Blurb from IMDb:  One by one the residents of a small, isolated town become infected by an insidious bug that turns them into violent, indiscriminate killing machines.

 
Cat’s Point of View:
I’ve probably said it before, but it bears repeating: I am fascinated by Australia. I love the accents, the people are interesting and, aside from the large percentage of lethal wildlife, the nature of the Outback captures my attention as well. When I saw I was going to watch a Sci-Fi movie filmed just outside of Perth with a largely Aussie cast, I was pretty excited. I even convinced my nearly 18-year-old daughter to watch with me last night.
 
To say that I had a frustrating experience with The Dustwalker is a slight understatement.
 
I ended up watching The Dustwalker twice, much to my chagrin. My fatigue was worse than usual yesterday. Even with a mid-day nap, I found myself zoning out and dozing off during programming. I was worried that it affected my experience with the movie so I watched it again today before writing. 

 
Alas, my fatigue wasn’t the problem. Even my teen quickly lost interest and bailed early before the movie was over last night.

 
Let me offer a positive note regarding The Dustwalker first. The remote location worked in the story’s favor and bolstered the suspension of disbelief to allow the story’s events to unfold as they did. Beyond that, it generally lost me.
 
Everything just felt strange – but not likely in the way the production was intended. Some character actions were just…odd. A few of the story elements were too vague. The camera work wasn’t consistent. I liked the spunky female lead and her geologist friend – in a broad sense of the word. The spirit of the characters intrigued me, whereas the roles themselves and their execution left a little bit to be desired.
 
If the intention of writer/director Sandra Sciberras (Max's Dreaming, Caterpillar Wish, Surviving Georgia) was for us to just be flat-out confused by this film, then I’d say she hit a home-run there. Otherwise, I am struggling to grasp the words to convey my disappointment in The Dustwalker. I thought that, perhaps, this might be a freshman offering but she has several projects under her belt.

 
The soundtrack was repetitive and felt a little cliché – and I rarely say that. You need a certain level of musical or sound ambiance to underscore scenes for the appropriate emotional reactions. In this case, it ended up just a little bit off-putting.
 
I don’t think the special effects did The Dustwalker any favors. The monster wasn’t very believable-looking in several scenes, especially with its movements. The whole unhinging jaw of the screaming-possessed wasn’t effective for me because of the lack of consistency throughout the movie. The Dustwalker also tried to mash every zombie movement trope together, it seemed. (Even though the people weren’t exactly zombies.) 

There didn’t seem to be rhyme or reason to it at some points, whereas with others the movement seemed intentional.

 
That point brings me back to disagreeing with part of the IMDb blurb – the killing that happened wasn’t exactly indiscriminate. It’s fairly easy to connect the dots there. Unfortunately, it’s never clear exactly why events happen. It’s possible to puzzle out some of it, but I’m left with more questions than answers and I just don’t understand how the ending of The Dustwalker could leave audiences on the note the production chose. Sadly, without spoilers, I can’t exactly explain that further.
 
If you have a Hulu subscription and are bored, I wouldn’t call The Dustwalker a complete waste of time – it had some redeeming qualities. There’s just far better fare out there so I wouldn’t steer anyone in this direction on purpose. 

Rotten Tomatoes Critic Score – None
Rotten Tomatoes Audience Score – 16%
Metascore – None
Metacritic User Score – None
IMDB Score – 3.7/10
 
Trust the Dice: Parental Advisory Rating – R
 
Trust the Dice: Cat’s Rating – 2/5
 
Movie Trailer:

The Tomorrow War (2021)

Streaming Services: Amazon Prime Video
Movie Name/Year: The Tomorrow War (2021)
Genre: Action, Adventure, Sci-Fi
Length: 140 minutes
Rating: PG-13
Production/Distribution: Skydance Media, Lit Entertainment Group, New Republic Pictures, Phantom Four Films, Amazon Studios, Paramount Pictures International, United International Pictures (UIP), Universal Pictures International (UPI), Amazon Prime Video
Director: Chris McKay
Writer:  Zach Dean
Actors: Chris Pratt, Yvonne Strahovski, J.K. Simmons, Betty Gilpin, Sam Richardson, Jasmine Mathews, Edwin Hodge, Ryan Kiera Armstrong, Keith Powers, Mary Lynn Rajskub, Mike Mitchell, Jared Shaw, Alexis Louder, Rose Bianco, Seychelle Gabriel
 
Blurb from IMDb: A family man is drafted to fight in a future war where the fate of humanity relies on his ability to confront the past.
 

Selina’s Point of View:
More of this please.
 
Normally, my attention drifts when I watch movies. The post-it notes on my monitor draw my eye, my phone will vibrate, I’ll need a drink, I’ll have to fix the temp in my office… really, anything will make me look away for a couple of seconds here or there. I find myself rewinding films a lot in order to ensure I don’t miss anything.
 
Not with The Tomorrow War.
 
The Tomorrow World hooked me from the beginning. It had some cute bits of character development at first. Not too much exposition, just enough so that the audience knows what’s happening. Then it drops us into the action, and horrors, of war.
 
I was shocked at how good the aliens looked.
 
The kind of CGI needed for creatures, like the ones showcased in this flick, is incredibly difficult to get right. It’s so easy for the aliens to come out campy, or unbelievable. When it’s done wrong, it becomes difficult to take the film seriously. Not an issue with The Tomorrow War. The graphics were all gorgeous, but especially the creatures.
 

The fight scenes were intense, but pretty much every moment worked well for creating tension. It was brutal, emotional, and – in a lot of ways – realistic. Instead of throwing civilians into a war and showing them immediately knowing how to kick ass and take names, the script gives us some gems of realism. I definitely thought most characters had reasonable reactions to the situation they were in.
 
I was impressed by the acting, the directing, and the writing. Chris Pratt (Guardians of the Galaxy, Jurassic World, The Magnificent Seven) really made me believe in his dedicated father, ex-military character – just as much as J.K. Simmons (Invincible, Palm Springs, Klaus) made me believe in his deadbeat-dad. Yvonne Strahovski (The Handmaid’s Tale, Angel of Mine, Stateless) was bad ass, while Betty Gilpin (The Hunt, Stuber, The Grudge) brought across the desperation of a wife scared to lose the person she loves. Sam Richardson’s (The Good Boys, Hooking Up, Marvel's M.O.D.O.K.) mostly comic relief scientist was played beautifully, while my heart broke for the jaded and traumatized soldier played by Edwin Hodge (Mayans M.C., Bumblebee, Six).
 
This is the kind of film I would watch for fun, not just for the blog.
 
I’m well aware of the reception.
 
Let me urge you, once more, to compare the scores from critics with the scores from general audiences. There is a HUGE discrepancy – and it’s the same on every review site that tracks both. Critics are giving The Tomorrow War awful reviews – but the general audience (which is the majority of people who watch movies) is loving it. NEVER take the critic reviews over those of people actually paying for their tickets. (This film may not have released in theaters, due to Covid-19, but I would have paid for it if I could have.)
 
If you have access to Amazon Prime Video, definitely watch this one. It’s long, but the time passes SO quickly.
 

Cat’s Point of View:
I do not regret listing The Tomorrow War as my #2 on July’s Top 20 Movies to Look Out For. If Black Widow (2021) weren’t releasing this month, it could have easily been #1. I can only hope that all of the movies that I’m looking forward to in July have the same amazing payout.
 
The graphics were consistently good throughout and the acting was stellar – even the minor supporting roles. Those that got airtime made the most of every second. 

This was a solid sci-fi offering and probably one of the best I’ve seen in a long time. It’s got crazy scary creatures and time travel surrounding a story about family, forgiveness, and perseverance. There are even splashes of comedy here and there to take just a little of the edge off – and it was seriously appreciated in a few places. I swear there was a moment that my heart was about to leap from my chest but one comedic element had myself and my daughter laughing unexpectedly.
 
I know I always try to find the positive in a movie and highlight it, even when the rest of it is a stinker – no such thing here. I can’t think of a single thing wrong, really. If there were flaws, I apparently was quite happy to look over them because the rest of The Tomorrow War had me so enthralled.
 

There are so many kudos to pass around here. I’m not even sure where to start. Let’s go from the top down. Chris Pratt picked an awesome movie to be his first as an Executive Producer. Chris McKay (Titan Maximum, Robot Chicken: Star Wars III, The Lego Batman Movie) doesn’t have a lot of film credits so far, but his direction of this film was a great addition. It makes me excited to see what he’s going to do with the projects he’s slated to work on in the near future.
 
Can we pause for a moment, though, and consider that The Tomorrow War is only the 3rd cinematic screenplay that Zach Dean (Deadfall, 24 Hours to Live) has credited on IMDb? Just the 3rd. I want to watch his previous 2 now, and can’t wait to see what he does as his career takes off. (No pressure or anything man, sorry.)
 
My appreciation for Sam Richardson’s character, Charlie, from the trailers has only expanded a thousand-fold now that the final credits have rolled. He is a gem and without him, this film would have been entirely different.
 
The Tomorrow War is bloody brilliant, and it’s free to Amazon Prime subscribers. If you’re looking for a great and exciting movie for this weekend – or anytime, really. Check it out!
 

Rotten Tomatoes Critic Score – 53%
Rotten Tomatoes Audience Score – 81%
Metascore – 44/100
Metacritic User Score – 6.6/10
IMDB Score – 6.9/10
 
Trust the Dice: Selina’s Rating – 5/5
Trust the Dice: Cat’s Rating – 5/5
 
Movie Trailer:

Fried Barry (2021)

Streaming Services: Shudder
Movie Name/Year: Fried Barry (2021)
Genre: Comedy, Horror, Sci-Fi
Length: 99 minutes
Rating: NR
Production/Distribution: The Department of Special Projects, The Department of Special Projects, Enigma Ace Films, Panalux, Panavision, Zootee Studios, Shudder
Director: Ryan Kruger
Writer:  Ryan Kruger, James C. Williamson
Actors: Gary Green, Chanelle de Jager, Brett Williams, Joey Cramer, Bianka Hartenstein, Sean Cameron Michael, Steve Wall, Hakeem Kae-Kazim, Tamer Burjaq, Jonathan Pienaar, Colin Moss, Brendan Sean Murray, Ryan Kruger, Marty Kintu, Gaham Clarke
 
Blurb from IMDb: Barry is a drug-addled, abusive bastard who - after yet another bender - is abducted by aliens. Barry takes a backseat as an alien visitor assumes control of his body and takes it for a joyride through Cape Town. What follows is an onslaught of drugs, sex and violence as our alien tourist enters the weird and wonderful world of humankind. FRIED BARRY is based upon the short film of the same name, which earned 57 official selections and 12 wins at festivals around the world.
 

Selina’s Point of View:
The past hour-and-a-half has been torture.
 
Before I go too far into reviewing Fried Barry, however, I need to take a few things into account.
 
First, and foremost, I don’t tend to like experimental films. Much as I love the horror-comedy sub-genre, there are only a small amount that I’ve ever seen that claim to be ‘experimental’. I’ve liked none of them.
 
Secondly, the director didn’t set out to make a good film.
 
Director Ryan Kruger (The Man Who Beat the Man, Prime Circle: Doors, The SA Way) has stated in several interviews that he wasn’t out to make a flick that everyone would like. There are plenty of people that shy away from mainstream film-making, but his intentions go beyond even that. He sought to make something so strange and unique and ridiculous, that it becomes unforgettable by default.
 
He wanted to make a cult film.
 
I thought that was a little bold of him. Bold to assume that a ‘cult’ status is something that you can seek out from the start.
 
Cult cinema is usually eccentric. It involves original pieces that are extremely memorable and re-watchable. If that was the whole definition of the cult genre, then yeah, you could definitely predict if a project was going to hit the mark. But it’s not.
 
It’s not just about how a film is created, written, or even developed. It can be something that comes out in wide releases or just sent straight to video. What makes a cult film is how it’s received.
 

Directors make movies for specific genres. They can seek to make drama, or a horror, or a romance. They can seek to make flicks that settle into sub-genres like teen stories, superheroes, occult, etc. But it’s the audience that makes a film: cult.
 
No director can control the audience.
 
That said, I think Kruger is onto something here.
 
I’m not going to lie, I fucking hate it. There is not a god damn thing that I enjoyed about Fried Barry. Personally, I’d rather never watch any other movies than watch this one again. It was, as I said earlier, torture to sit through.
 
If I look at it through the scope of what the director was trying to do, though…
 
I think there’s a possibility he succeeded.
 
I will never be able to unsee Fried Barry. It will be scorched into my brain for eternity. It’s weird, and ridiculous and absolutely disgusting. And there are people that I know who will see it once and fall completely in love. They will adore it just for its eccentricity and the message they see behind the script. They will re-watch it and pass it along to others.
 
I will look at them strangely, but if those people actually form a cult for this film, they won’t need me or my opinion.
 
Ryan Kruger is a mad genius. Now get me out of here.
 

Cat’s Point of View:

I have stared at a blank page for a bit now, just…unsure how to put what I’m feeling into words in the wake of the credits rolling for Fried Barry.
 
One thing’s for sure, I feel fried by that movie. What the hell did I just watch?
 
Calling it a strange trip seems like it would be both too on the nose and, at the same time, the understatement of the century.
 
Let me revisit my earlier statement. There’s a second thing that’s ‘for sure’ here, as well. Kids should be nowhere near this movie. Not only is there flagrant and graphic drug use, but there are explicit sexual scenes, and some brief male nudity… among other things I can’t mention without spoilers.
 
The runtime for Fried Barry is just a little over an hour and a half, and there’s a freaking intermission break. Why? Did they run out of ideas for scene transitions? It was so brief that I’m not even sure that it was really intended to be used as such, and debated even mentioning it like it might have been a spoiler to do so. It illustrates the absolute wackiness of this film, however.

 
I think the tone is appropriately set when the opening credits list this as ‘A Ryan Kruger Thing.’  Not a movie or production. Its own creator called it a ‘thing.’
 
This is Kruger’s feature-length directorial debut, expanding a short that he had created back in 2017. I haven’t seen it, I’m afraid, so I can’t comment on whether or not this is a continuation of that story or just a revisitation to the character, etc.
 
If I had to sum this experience up in one word, it would be spastic. The story, characters, settings – everything was spazzy. I imagine that anyone watching this under the influence of mind-altering substances might get an entirely different experience – either in enjoyment or a one-way ticket to a bad trip.
 
The crazy thing is that I kind of liked it...a teeny tiny bit. I admit that grudgingly because this was frankly a horrifying and grotesque film experience that I cannot unsee. I was repulsed and drawn in by it at the same time. I spent a lot of time literally saying ‘what the fuck’ to myself, however. There were a few places I just had to laugh. Under all the insanity, there was an actual story. It surprised the hell out of me, to be honest.
 
I can tell you with certainty that I will never watch this again. This is, however, exactly the sort of movie you tell your friends about to get them to watch it in order to share the misery and see their reactions. For that reason, it very well may become a cult hit.
 
Either way, Fried Barry will be available on Shudder May 7.

Rotten Tomatoes Critic Score – 83%
Rotten Tomatoes Audience Score – None
Metascore – None
Metacritic User Score – None
IMDB Score – 6/10
 
Trust the Dice: Selina’s Rating – Pass/5
Trust the Dice: Cat’s Rating – 1.5/5
 
Trust-the-Dice’s Parental Advisory Rating: NC-17
 
Movie Trailer:

Save Yourselves! (2020)

Streaming Services: Hulu
Movie Name/Year: Save Yourselves! (2020)
Genre: Comedy, Sci-Fi
Length: 93 minutes
Rating: R
Production/Distribution: Keshet Studios, Last Rodeo Studios, Washington Square Films, levelFILM, Bleecker Street Media
Director: Alex Huston Fischer, Eleanor Wilson
Writer: Alex Huston Fischer, Eleanor Wilson
Actors: Sunita Mani, John Reynolds, Ben Sinclair, John Early, Jo Firestone, Gary Richardson, Johanna Day, Zenobia Shroff, Amy Sedaris, Stephen Koepfer
 
Blurb from IMDb: A young Brooklyn couple heads to an upstate cabin to unplug from their phones and reconnect with each other. Blissfully unaware of their surroundings, they are left to their own devices as the planet falls under attack.
 

Selina’s Point of View:
I was really enjoying this film. I thought the relationship between the main characters was interesting. I liked the idea of experiencing an alien invasion from the furthest outskirts instead of the epicenter. I even thought the design of the extraterrestrials was a cute little homage to Star Trek: The Original Series (1966-1969).
 
Something happened toward the end of the climax. It all just fell apart.
 
This amusing look at how a young hipster couple would react in an outlier situation started to try and become a strange cerebral take on survival. It even left off on a relatively dark note. The ending reminded me a bit of The Graduate (1967), which is not the tone the film seemed to be going for.
 

It’s frustrating. Save Yourselves! had so much potential. It had good writing and decent acting. It felt a little campy at times, but in a way that’s easy to appreciate. It worked well with the humor.
 
If it embraced what it was and found a balance with the ending instead of just flinging itself to the other side of the spectrum, I would have liked it so much more.
 
Save Yourselves! is not a bad movie. It’s just got a tone issue that stuck with me in the end.
 

Rotten Tomatoes Critic Score – 88%
Rotten Tomatoes Audience Score – 60%
Metascore – 66/100
Metacritic User Score – 5.1/10
IMDB Score – 5.7/10
 
Trust the Dice: Selina’s Rating – 3.5/5
 
Movie Trailer: