Slotherhouse (2023)

 

 

Streaming Service: Hulu

Movie Name/Year: Slotherhouse (2023)

Genre: Comedy, Horror, Thriller

Length:  1h 33min

Rating: PG-13

Director: Matthew Goodhue

Writers: Bradley Fowler, Cady Lanigan

Actors: Lisa Ambalavanar, Sydney Craven, Andrew Horton, Bianca Beckles-Rose, Olivia Rouyre, Tiff Stevenson, Sutter Nolan, Milica Vrzic, Stefan Kapicic, Annamaria Serda, Grace Patterson, Kelly Lynn Reiter, Tiana Upcheva, Cady Lanigan, Fernando Duran, Djordje Misina, Jelena Kosara, Jomely Butsayamant, Anita Yoo

 

IMDb Blurb: Emily Young, a senior, wants to be elected as her sorority's president. She adopts a cute sloth, thinking it can become the new mascot and help her win, until a string of fatalities implicate the sloth as the main suspect in the murders.

 

 

Selina’s Point of View:

Slotherhouse is a bad horror movie that I’ve been looking forward to for a while.

 

It came out in August of last year, but we’ve been so busy with other films that this is the first we’ve gotten to it. I remember dying of laughter the first time I saw the trailer. I’m pretty sure it would have made my top 20 for that month, if not for strikes.

 

Right from the start, you know exactly what to expect from Slotherhouse. It opens onto a sloth puppet. It moves strangely, it’s creepy, but also kind of adorable. It’s a good kind of janky. Knowing that’s the big bad of the whole film sets you up for the hilarity to come. 

 

 

You have give the flick credit. Most of its contemporaries would go the easy CGI route. It’s not like anyone expects the visuals to be flawlessly crafted by the most brilliant coders in the world – not for a film like this. They could have gotten away with the same visuals you see in Asylum films. No one would have faulted them for it. Something about the use of practical effects made everything feel a bit more immersive. Maybe it’s just me, but I think they made a choice there that really helped the overall feel of the movie.

 

That ridiculous sloth puppet made the humor of Slotherhouse pop.

 

This is one of those ‘so bad it’s good’ movies that I could sit and watch with a bunch of friends, pizza and beer at the ready. It’s creative and fun. It’s everything I hoped it would be. 

 

 

Cat’s Point of View:

Sometimes movie titles come along that just instantly make us roll our eyes and think “really?!” as we consider the absurdity. Slotherhouse was one of those movies for me. Who would have thought that a creepy crawly slow critter would make a killer murder-spree movie villain? Here’s the thing, if you go into movies like this with actual real-world logic and scientific facts in mind you’ll be sorely disappointed. This isn’t the movie for you.

 

Alternatively, if you see young college girls on the poster of a slasher film and immediately think this is going to be one of those movies full of nudity, sex, and ditzes making dumb decisions… this is not that movie, either. This is less Sorority Row (2009) and more Mean Girls (2004) with a deadly and unexpectedly insane twist.

 

 

Really, it’s best to throw all expectations out the window when you approach Slotherhouse and just go with the flow. Let yourself have the fun as intended. There are a couple good messages buried within this crazy flick involving sisterhood, commentary on social media addiction, and animal conservation – but that’s not why we’re really watching this. Let’s be honest. The immediate thought following “what the hell?” when seeing this poster or even just the movie title is usually “how?” and Slotherhouse is the perfect vehicle to take you on that gloriously absurd ride.

 

You might be getting the gist so far that I actually enjoyed this crazy creature feature, and you’d be right. It falls squarely into that sweet spot of the “so bad, it’s good” horror comedy.

 

I was talking to my screen with each new bonkers scene and laughing so hard my daughter was looking at me funny and decided to sit down and watch with me from the middle. In fact, I would recommend watching Slotherhouse with a group of friends and make a fun night of it. Laugh at all the implausible sloth-related shenanigans and just cut loose. Just turn off your brain and grab some popcorn. With the PG-13 rating and the lack of the usual splatter and gore of the typical slasher film, this one is even generally safe to include a younger crowd, as well.

 

I would actually, and will most likely, watch Slotherhouse again.

 

 

Rotten Tomatoes Critic Score – 61%

Rotten Tomatoes Audience Score – 75%

Metascore – None

Metacritic User Score – 4.8/10

IMDB Score – 4.7/10

 

Trust the Dice: Selina’s Rating – 3.5/5

Trust the Dice: Cat’s Rating – 4/5

 

P.S. - There is a mid credits scene, as well as animated images that call-back to the movie that play during the credits along with a theme-song for the killer sloth.

 

Movie Trailer:

Meg 2: The Trench (2023)

 

 

Streaming Service: MAX 

Movie Name/Year: Meg 2: The Trench (2023) 

Genre: Action, Adventure, Horror, Sci-Fi 

Length:  1h 56min 

Rating: PG-13 

Director: Ben Wheatley 

Writers: Jon Hoeber, Erich Hoeber, Dean Georgaris, Steve Alten 

Actors: Jason Statham, Jing Wu, Shuya Sophia Cai, Cliff Curtis, Page Kennedy, Sergio Peris-Mencheta, Skyler Samuels, Melissanthi Mahut, Whoopie Van Raam, Kiran Sonia Sawar, Felix Mayr, Sienna Guillory 

 

IMDb Blurb: A research team encounters multiple threats while exploring the depths of the ocean, including a malevolent mining operation. 

 

 

Cat’s Point of View: 

As with The Meg (2018), I was eagerly anticipating the release of Meg 2: The Trench. My daughter and I were quick to watch it as soon as we could, and we weren’t disappointed.

 

There was a slight change in tone with the sequel, but that was to be expected. A few of the core initial cast did return to reprise their roles, and we were introduced to new characters – some of which may remain moving forward (hopefully). Cliff Curtis’s (Doctor Sleep, Reminiscence, Avatar: The Way of Water) character, Mac, remained mostly the same as a steadfast anchor for the meg surviving crew; while others reappeared with significant character progression.

 

 

I love how Jason Statham (Mechanic: Resurrection, Operation Fortune: Ruse de Guerre, The Beekeeper) and Shuya Sophia Cai' (Somewhere Only We Know, The Meg, Mr. Corman) relationship evolved in the passage of time since the first movie. Jonas and Meiying’s interactions are at the very heart of these movies and are a font of giggles, smiles, and worry while I watch their treacherous escapades.

 

I mentioned in my review of The Meg that it had given a great starting point, as well, for Page Kennedy’s (Rhett and Link's Buddy System, Snowfall, The Upshaws) character, DJ. While he might be seen somewhat as the comic relief of the group, he’s definitely not just thrown in the story for kicks. His character shows an actual arc of development from the experiences he survived in the first movie.

 

 

We also got introduced to some new characters, but most notably joining the central team was action veteran Jing Wu (Iron Man 3, The Wandering Earth, Ride On) as Jiyuming Zhang. His brilliant, yet somehow still naïve optimism is a driving force for quite a lot of the plot elements of this sequel – both involving the megs and the tangential chaos that once more emerges from what was supposed to be simple scientific expeditions in the deep.

 

The action  in Meg 2: The Trench remained on point (with Statham still performing pretty much all of his own stunts) and the effects didn’t disappoint. There was even a hilarious call-back Easter Egg referencing the first movie, as well as a very clear nod to Jurassic Park (1993) that I caught. (Since I have yet to read the books the movies have been adapted from, I couldn’t tell you whether or not this was an element of the production or if it was in the novels, also. I can, however, tell you that author Steve Alten’s meg series was published after Michael Chrichton’s dinoasaur novels and their original movie adaptations were released.)

 

 

The only factor that even remotely nags at me about this franchise is that it has lost a little bit of the terror involved with a creature feature horror flick by sticking to its PG-13 guns. There just isn’t enough carnage on the screen for what you’d expect from such a mammoth monster… or monsters, as the case may be, on the loose.  Even so, it’s still a lot of fun to watch and I remain hopeful that more movies in this franchise keep getting the green light. As I mentioned before, there are many books within Alten’s series that they can draw from, after all.

 

As of the time I’ve written this article, there is still no official word on whether or not there will be a third movie in this series. My appendages are still crossed and I hope you’ll give Meg 2: The Trench a chance if you’re a fan of this genre.

 

 

Rotten Tomatoes Critic Score – 27% 

Rotten Tomatoes Audience Score – 74% 

Metascore –  40% 

Metacritic User Score – 4.8/10 

IMDB Score – 5.0/10 

 

Trust the Dice: Cat’s Rating – 4.5/5

 

 Movie Trailer:

 

The Meg (2018)

 

 

Streaming Service: MAX

Movie Name/Year: The Meg (2018) 

Genre: Action, Horror, Sci-Fi 

Length:  1h 53min 

Rating: PG-13

Director: Jon Turteltaub 

Writers: Dean Georgaris, Jon Hoeber, Erich Hoeber, Steve Alten 

Actors: Jason Statham, Ruby Rose, Jessica McNamee, Rainn Wilson, Bingbing Li, Robert Taylor, Cliff Curtis, Olafur Darri Olafsson, Masi Oka, Page Kennedy, Vithaya Pansringarm, Shuya Sophia Cai, Rob Kipa-Williams, Winston Chao 

 

IMDb Blurb: A group of scientists exploring the Marianas Trench encounter the largest marine predator that has ever existed - the Megalodon.

 

 

Cat’s Point of View: 

The Meg was one of those movies that I just HAD to watch the minute I was able to. I was practically bouncing up and down with eager anticipation. I’d been watching the media releases for this production ever since I stumbled upon the article that inspired my But I Digress…My What Big Teeth You Have article back in 2017. Selina and I both love creature features. Pair that with my love of sharks and shark movies, and it had become my automatic #1 on the Top 20 article the month it was released in 2018. (Selina had listed it as her #9 pick.)

 

At this point, I have actually watched The Meg many times over. It has become one of those familiar “comfort” movies that I will even watch from the middle if I come across it while flipping channels. Sometimes if I’m bored and just want something in the background it’s a good go-to.

 

 

I’m very disappointed in the negative reviews out there, really. I was actually shocked when I looked up the review rating scores on the various sites we use for comparisons. I am positive that I’m not just watching this movie through rose-colored glasses just because it involves megalodons and Jason Statham (Mechanic: Resurrection, Operation Fortune: Ruse de Guerre, Expend4bles). Those are 2 sizeable reasons I was drawn to the film in the first place, but not why I have enjoyed re-experiencing this movie over and over.

 

The Meg was a generally well-executed creature feature. Everything was streamlined well enough that it wasn’t too terribly hard to suspend disbelief about this allegedly extinct mammoth shark. (Seriously though, there are whole teams of real-world scientists studying to see if this giant scary creature of the deep may not be as extinct as we thought so we’re not really coloring that far outside the lines here.)

 

 

The effects were dazzlingly rendered, the underwater scenes were stunning, and the action was on point. There were moments of levity that broke up what otherwise would have been a non-stop thrill ride. While I see some critics slamming that, keep in mind that even Jaws (1975) had some comic-relief in it. The family aspect involved as well as the interconnected history of the characters coming into play was also interesting. Further, the individuals that went on to continue their story in the sequel The Meg 2: The Trench (2023) had a good foundation in this first film to grow from. (We’ll talk about the sequel another day, though.) I was also seriously impressed with Sophia Cai (Somewhere Only We Know, Mr. Corman, Meg 2: The Trench) in her role as Meiying. Sometimes you just don’t get as much depth from very young actors and she really stole most of the scenes she was involved in.

 

 

The Meg delivered everything it promised in its trailer. Was it perfect? No, but it didn't need to be. The Meg was a great popcorn movie. It was, however, a little less gruesome than it could have been had it not had the PG-13 rating. Sometimes those decisions are in the hands of the studios. In spite of that, both movies have done really well – igniting much hope for an extended franchise. At this time there’s no official word as to whether or not a 3^rd installment will be made. There’s plenty of the source material to pull from still, however. The Meg was an adaptation from a popular series of novels, after all. (I also still need to get off the stick to read them.) Cross your fingers for me that we can visit the world of these mammoth megs in a 3^rd installment, will you? I know I am.

 

If you enjoy shark movies and action with crazy stunts and a slice of comedy, The Meg will be right up your alley and there are multiple ways to stream it via subscription services as of the time of this review.

 

 

Rotten Tomatoes Critic Score – 47% 

Rotten Tomatoes Audience Score – 44%

Metascore –  46% 

Metacritic User Score – 5.5/10 

IMDB Score – 5.7/10 

 

Trust the Dice: Cat’s Rating – 4.5/5

 

Movie Trailer:

Tremors: Shrieker Island (2020)

  

Streaming Service: Netflix

Movie Name/Year: Tremors: Shrieker Island (2020)

Genre: Horror, Adventure, Action, Comedy

Length:  1h 43min

Rating: PG-13

Production/Distribution: Cinemotion, Living Films, Pace Pictures, Universal 1440 Entertainment, Universal Pictures Video, Universal Pictures Home Entertainment

Director: Don Michael Paul

Writers: Don Michael Paul, Brian Brightly, S.S. Wilson, Brent Maddock, Ron Underwood

Actors: Michael Gross, Jon Heder, Richard Brake, Caroline Langrishe, Jackie Cruz, Cassie Clare, Sahajak Boonthanakit, Matthew Douglas, Randy Kalsi, Bear Williams, David Asavanond, Manop Vanasinsathapron, Aukrawut Rojaunawat, Jarun Phetsongkram, Alexander Winters, Ron Smoorenburg, Iris Park, Niko Rusakov

 

IMDb Blurb: When a group of hunters genetically modify Graboid eggs, they face an all-out war against the larger, terrifyingly intelligent Graboids, and the swiftly multiplying Shriekers.

 

 

Selina’s Point of View:

The Tremors series has had a place in my heart for about ten years. The first Tremors movie is over 30-years-old, but I didn’t watch it until I was well into writing for Trust the Dice. Since that first film, though, I’ve been hooked. Sure, the sequels were never quite as good, but they were entertaining even Bacon-less.

 

Michael Gross’ Burt Gummer character is about as endearing as it gets. He’s a funny bad-ass. Even at 73-years-old (at the time of Shrieker Islands’s release), I believe he could kick my ass. Following him through 7 movies has been a trip. If there’s an 8th, I’ll be watching that as well.

 

One of the things I love about Tremors is that the movies don’t take themselves too seriously. They’re over-the-top and ridiculous, yet they manage to deliver decent creature feature action as well. With each film we learn a little more about the graboids and their life cycles.

 

That all said, Shrieker Island is not my favorite of the series. The movie also took itself much more seriously than the others. There was even one scene that I felt would have looked at home in a bigger flick.

 

I did think the slightly more serious tone worked in this case. It wasn’t as fun as some of the previous films, but I don’t think it hurt the overall quality of Shrieker Island. What did hurt was the shift in tone.

 

There was a strange deviation to the story about 3-quarters in that made it feel like a lot of the plot was just left hanging. All the aspects of the film that were directly connected to the main thread of the story just ended. It was anti-climactic. Which is not a problem any of the other films in the series had.  

 

I would still watch Shrieker Island again, but it might not be for every fan of the series.

 

Cat’s Point of View:

Let’s just start with the management of expectations. If you’re watching Tremors: Shrieker Island and haven’t seen any of the previous 6 movies in the series, stop right now and at the very least go back and watch the original Tremors (1990) first. (You can find viewing options with its JustWatch listing here.) If you don’t have even a little bit of background with this franchise, everything is going to be a mess and the chances will be far lower that you’ll get full enjoyment out of this 6th sequel. I would recommend getting a few of the movies under your belt before taking this one on - because of spoilery plot reasons I can’t explain. 

If you’re old-hat with the Tremors movies, then, by all means, let's keep going. 

Tremors: Shrieker Island was better than I thought it would be, and certainly exceeded my expectations for these often over-the-top campy creature feature escapades. I actually liked it much more than several of the sequels that had come before it. 

 

Director Don Michael Paul (Lake Placid: The Final Chapter, Kindergarten Cop 2, Bulletproof 2) had taken on the 2 films directly leading up to Tremors: Shrieker Island with Tremors 5: Bloodlines and Tremors: A Cold Day in Hell and those turned out rather well… all things considered. This time, Paul threw his writing hat into the ring and I think that helped achieve a better end result for this production. 

The location chosen as the setting for this installment of the franchise was spectacular, and there were a lot of stunning shots utilized from the landscape scenery of Thailand. The lush island surroundings gave the intended parallels with the original Predator (1987) more punch. 

Tremors: Shrieker Island was just a great way to enjoy an established story and just settle into the mental vacation from the daily grind. It had plenty of laughs, the customary over-the-top firepower, explosions, and improvised weaponry; and even a decent underpinning story that made sense. (We’re talking about a world where Precambrian monsters called Graboids and their second-generation offspring Ass-Blasters exist, okay?) 

 

The core cast for this sequel was also outstanding. Michael Gross (The Stanley Dynamic, Grace and Frankie, Noelle) has been at the heart of every Tremors movie, and this one certainly was no exception. He really threw himself into the role of Bert Gummer - growing out his own beard and hair and eating real grubs for the sake of the movie. He’s been my favorite character throughout the series - and even the only character that has been in every movie. 

I was surprised by Jon Heder’s (Ghost Team, Star vs. the Forces of Evil, My Sweet Monster) performance here. Quite often the characters he portrays in live-action productions just annoy me for some reason. This time everything clicked and I was rooting for his character. 

Richard Brake (Game of Thrones, Vesper, Barbarian) is absolutely excellent about bringing questionably sane and definitely shady characters to life, and his performance here was central to everything about this Tremors installment working.

I would also be remiss if I didn’t mention the kickass characters played by Jackie Cruz (Orange is the New Black, Here After, Panama) and Cassie Clare (Death Race 4: Beyond Anarchy, Bulletproof 2, The Sandman), too. 

What it all boils down to is this: if you have enjoyed Tremors or any of its sequels, then Tremors: Shrieker Island is definitely worth the stream - especially while it’s on a subscription service. 

 

 

Rotten Tomatoes Critic Score – 44%

Rotten Tomatoes Audience Score –36%

Metascore – None

Metacritic User Score – None

IMDB Score – 5.4/10

Trust the Dice: Selnia’s Rating – 3/5

Trust the Dice: Cat’s Rating – 3.5/5

P.S.- There are small excerpt scenes featuring a primary character from all of the Tremors movies shown during the beginning of the credits.

 

Movie Trailer: