Trapped Inn (2024)

 

 

Streaming Service: Amazon Prime Video

Movie Name/Year: Trapped Inn (2024)

Genre: Sci-Fi, Thriller

Length: 1h 55min

Rating: Unrated

Director: Leah Sturgis

Writer: Leah Sturgis

Actors: Matt Rife, Robert Palmer Watkins, Brian Gross, Brielle Gearson, Jaylen Moore, Oliver Trevena, Jacy King, Noemie Maia, Rickey Eugene Brown, Laurel Coeur, Emily Farache, Tal Serror, Mary Vade Bon Coeur

 

IMDb Blurb: An American cycling team trains at a remote European lodge. Teammates start dying mysteriously. Rivals Connor and Greg battle to survive and uncover the cause behind the team's demise.

 

 

Cat’s Point of View:

I don't remember hearing anything about Trapped Inn back around the time it was released. That's not entirely surprising, given that this film came from an indie production company, and likely didn't have a big budget for marketing. I digress...

 

When I watched the trailer, pretty much the only thing that Trapped Inn seemed to have going for it was the recognizable name and face of Matt Rife (Don't Suck, The Private Eye, Beyond the Likes). I've seen his stand-up specials, and his humor isn't always my cup of tea. This didn't strike me as a comedy, however, and I was curious how he handled more serious settings as an actor.

 

 

As an aside, I've seen some of his YouTube videos where he's accompanied friends on paranormal investigations and various adventures. I have to say that in more candid moments – even in front of a camera – he came across as respectful and genuine in those scenarios. With a peek behind the proverbial curtain of his on-stage persona in mind, I felt like he had a real shot at pulling this more serious role off.

 

Generally, I was right. Unfortunately, that didn't really save the movie.

 

Most of the core cast members didn't bungle their roles either, to be honest. Trapped Inn simply suffered from trying to be too many things at once without a clear sense of direction for the story.

 

 

There's a clear theme of isolation and how that impacts the human psyche. I'd also go as far as to say that this story also highlighted how such a claustrophobic atmosphere could be amped up and made worse by fear of a deadly unknown.

 

Outside of that, the other elements of the narrative caused the wheels to fall off the bus. I nearly got whiplash from the number of times the plot seemed to shift with sudden twisty revelations. Just when I thought Trapped Inn was building suspense in one direction, the gears shifted to a setting that made it even harder to suspend disbelief.

 

 

If Trapped Inn had tried to take itself less seriously, it's plausible that it could have offered a fun and memorable experience. Unfortunately, its earnest attempt at selling everything from a super serious perspective made it less cohesive and ultimately forgettable.

 

I can't say that I would offer a recommendation for Trapped Inn – unless someone wanted to turn the plot-shifts into a drinking game. Even then, I don't think it would offer this movie any sort of redemption. At the same time, this wasn't the worst film I've ever watched, so at least there's that.

 

 

Rotten Tomatoes Critic Score – None

Rotten Tomatoes Audience Score – 77%

Metascore – None

Metacritic User Score – 4.0/10

IMDB Score – 2.9/10

 

Trust the Dice: Cat’s Rating – 2.5/5

 

Trust the Dice: Parental Advisory Rating - R

 

 Movie Trailer:

Carter (2022)

Streaming Service: Netflix
Movie Name/Year: Carter (2022)
Genre: Action, Thriller
Length: 2h 12min
Rating: TV-MA
Production/Distribution: Apeitda, Netflix
Director: Byung-gil Jung    
Writer:  Byeong-sik Jung, Byung-gil Jung       
Actors: Joo Won, Kim Bo-Min, Sung-Jae Lee, Camilla Belle, Mike Colter
 
Blurb from IMDb: Thrown straight into a dangerous mission with none of his memories intact, a man must escape death while trying to figure out who he is, how he ended up here, and who is the mysterious voice in his ear calling him "Carter"?
 

Selina’s Point of View:
I was in my glory when I saw the trailer for Carter.
 
Korean cinema has a special place in my heart and, as an 80s baby, so do brainless action flicks. When I saw the trailer for Carter, then followed it up with the realization that a Korean director I know and like was behind it, I was excited.
 
After sitting down to watch, I’m just angry.
 
When you hear people talking about movies that are style over substance, Carter is exactly the kind of thing they’re talking about. Every shot seemed to have mountains of thought put into it, but nothing else did.
 
Now, keep in mind, I have enjoyed style over substance films before. I really enjoyed Sucker Punch (2011). But, in this case, the thought put into the cinematography for Carter was exceptionally misguided. It’s like the director decided before filming that he had to use shaky cam, and then ignored when it didn’t work.
 

Cat gets motion sickness when watching badly made shaky cam movies. About 10-minutes into Carter, I texted her to let her know I’d handle this one myself. I don’t have motion sickness from anything, but in this case the effect was nausea inducing. Even for me. I had to take regular breaks – just about every 15-minutes or so – because it was costing me my equilibrium.
 
I could have forgiven the stylistic choices if there had been any pay off. Unfortunately, there really wasn’t.
 
There were a few cool visuals, if you could focus on them long enough, but there was nothing else going for Carter. The script was bad, so was most of the acting. Even the fight choreography didn’t stand out. In fact, the final fight scene feels like it’s 20-minutes long and involves the main character doing the same thing over and over again.
 
I couldn’t figure out if I needed to vomit or go take a nap.
 
Don’t waste your time on Carter. If you’re curious about the director, Confession of Murder (2012) is streaming on Tubi, Pluto TV, and Plex.  
 

Rotten Tomatoes Critic Score – 30%
Rotten Tomatoes Audience Score – 50%
Metascore – None
Metacritic User Score – None
IMDB Score –5.1/10
 
Trust the Dice: Selina’s Rating – 1.5/5
 
Movie Trailer:

Spiderhead (2022)

Streaming Service: Netflix
Movie Name/Year: Spiderhead (2022)
Genre: Action, Crime, Drama
Length: 1h 46min
Rating: R
Production/Distribution: Conde Nast Entertainment, Grand Electric, Reese Wernick Productions, Screen Arcade, The New Yorker, The Rebel Fleet, Netflix
Director: Joseph Kosinski
Writers: Rhett Reese, Paul Wernick, George Saunders
Actors: Miles Teller, Chris Hemsworth, Charles Parnell, Jurnee Smollett
 
IMDb Blurb: In the near future, convicts are offered the chance to volunteer as medical subjects to shorten their sentence. One such subject for a new drug capable of generating feelings of love begins questioning the reality of his emotions.

Selina’s Point of View:
The trailer for Spiderhead really had me. It seemed like such a unique action flick. I couldn’t wait.
 
Imagine my disappointment when it turned out to not be an action at all.
 
Every single heart-pumping moment is in the trailer. There’s nothing else that could even remotely be considered action anywhere else in the film. I kept expecting the story to amp up and turn into something that would get me on the edge of my seat, but it stopped just short every single time.
 
It’s like Spiderhead couldn’t figure out what it wanted to be. It was advertised as something it wasn’t. Then there was this awful font used in the title screen and credits that belonged more in a teen film. The soundtrack, while fun, felt more like it belonged in a parody – or caricature – film. Anything not from the coming attractions was all drama, but not in any kind of absorbing way.
 
Chris Hemsworth (Avengers: Endgame, Extraction, Interceptor), Miles Teller (The Offer, Too Old to Die Young, Bleed for This), and Jurnee Smollett (Birds of Prey, Lovecraft Country, Underground) did what they could with what they had, but they didn’t have much. There was almost nothing for them to really do.
 
Spiderhead is not a flick anyone needs to concern themselves with. 

 
Cat’s Point of View:
When I’ve looked back at director Joseph Kosinski’s (TRON: Legacy, Oblivion, Top Gun: Maverick) body of work; I’ve found that I’ve become quite the fan of his storytelling. I was really excited to get a double shot with back-to-back projects releasing in May and June of this year. After I satisfied my need for speed last month, I was really looking forward to something a little more in-depth and psychological with Spiderhead.
 
Of course, the cast was a large part of what got my initial attention when I first heard of Spiderhead. I was intrigued to see Chris Hemsworth (12 Strong, Extraction, What If...?) in a role with questionable morals. I do enjoy seeing other facets of actors beyond what they generally get type-cast as – and Hemsworth tends to get the hero label a lot. In addition to that, this is also his 3^rd film to produce with Netflix.

 
I also adore Jurnee Smollett (Underground, Birds of Prey, Lovecraft Country) and was really pleased with her performance here. I’ve tended to, historically, stay more on the fence where Miles Teller (War Dogs, Top Gun: Maverick, The Offer) is concerned, however. It was interesting to see a different side of him that wasn’t traveling faster than the speed of sound with afterburners blazing. This role called for something more reserved and emotionally internalized because of the heavy burden of his character’s past.
 
Let me cut to the chase. I enjoyed Spiderhead, but I think it had a marketing problem.
 
The way the trailer was put together, some viewers might be anticipating the story to lean more heavily into the action aspect. Unfortunately, that wasn’t the case. The majority of Spiderhead took place inside the facility. There was a taste of the faster-paced genre towards the end, but you have to get through the slower stuff first. Anyone watching Spiderhead to see boat chases and explosions isn’t going to have the right mindset to appreciate the story about humanity, ethics, and redemption. This is a tale that, at its core, was exploring that murky grey area of science and pharmaceutical innovation. Just because you can do a thing, doesn’t always mean you should.

 
I should reel myself in before I start quoting Ian Malcolm from the Jurassic franchise. I digress…
 
With all that being said, I can see why Spiderhead hasn’t been scoring well on reviews. If I was hoping for a fast-paced action blockbuster for my movie night and got this, instead, I’d be a bit disappointed, too.
 
The story really isn’t that bad. It’s a solid production. I may not remember the details of Spiderhead over time, but I certainly wouldn’t say that my time was wasted. My recommendation is to manage expectations leaning more into the dramatic with a touch of sci-fi rather than action and crime. If that sounds like something you would enjoy, definitely give Spiderhead a shot. 

 
Rotten Tomatoes Critic Score – 41%
Rotten Tomatoes Audience Score –33%
Metascore – 54%
Metacritic User Score – 4.6/10
IMDB Score – 5.4/10
 
Trust the Dice: Selina’s Rating –2/5
Trust the Dice: Cat’s Rating – 3/5
 
Movie Trailer:

For the Sake of Vicious (2021)

Streaming Service: Shudder
Movie Name/Year: For the Sake of Vicious (2021)
Genre: Action, Horror, Mystery
Length:  80 minutes
Rating: Unrated
Production/Distribution: Federgreen Entertainment, Latefox Pictures, Raven Banner Entertainment, Epic Pictures, Falcon Films, Wild Duck Productions
Directors: Gabriel Carrer, Reese Eveneshen
Writers: Gabriel Carrer, Reese Eveneshen
Actors: Adam Ewings, Boris Milinkovich, Colin Paradine, Dorian Allen, Erin Stuart, James Fler, Lora Burke, Nick Smyth, Nick Spartan, T.J. Kennedy
 
IMDb Blurb: An overworked nurse returns home to find a maniac hiding out with a bruised and beaten hostage. When an unexpected wave of violent intruders descends upon her home, it becomes a fight for survival.

 
Cat’s Point of View:
I just had a kneejerk reaction when I saw the RottenTomatoes critic score given to For the Sake of Vicious. What? Seriously – did they watch the same movie I did? It just goes to show you can never tell what makes the critics happy. I was sure that they were going to rip this movie a new one. The joke’s on me, I guess. 

I digress…
 
As you can probably already tell, I wasn’t the biggest fan of For the Sake of Vicious. There was very little character development and only flashes of a real story. What it did have in spades was absolutely brutal hyperviolence. There were too many questions and not enough answers. This wasn’t really a mystery – it was more of a conundrum, and a vexing one at that.

 
I’m also a little perplexed why a Halloween movie was released in late spring. It makes me wonder if they didn’t have faith in the film standing up to other genre films related to the season. Personally, I don’t care what time of year I partake Halloween-y things in. When you add it in with everything else, it just gives me pause to consider the thought process there.
 
After reading the trivia available on IMDb, I’m a bit sad about some of the elements that landed on the cutting room floor, so to speak. I think some of those concepts might have rounded out the production a little better and allowed at least some things to make more sense. Alas, it is what it is.

 
I’m not one to completely rip something to shreds without giving some counterpoint of positive feedback, however. For the Sake of Vicious did deliver some really brutal fight sequences. I believed what they were selling and the practical effects were good overall. Kudos to the principal cast for doing their own stunts.
 
Unfortunately, I require a little more story to go with my violence. For the Sake of Vicious isn’t the worst movie out there, but it is not one I would likely recommend.

Rotten Tomatoes Critic Score – 83%
Rotten Tomatoes Audience Score – 57%
Metascore – None
Metacritic User Score – None
IMDB Score – 5.4/10

Trust the Dice: Parental Guidance Rating – R

Trust the Dice: Cat’s Rating – 2.5/5
 
Movie Trailer:

'Tis the Season - Father Christmas is Back (2021)

Streaming Service: Netflix
Movie Name/Year: Father Christmas is Back (2021)
Genre: Comedy
Length:  105 minutes
Rating: PG-13
Production/Distribution: MSR Media, Front Row Filmed Entertainment, Netflix
Directors: Mick Davis, Philippe Martinez
Writers: Philippe Martinez, Hannah Davis, David Conolly, Dylanne Corcoran
Actors: Amelie Prescott, Ania Marson, April Bowlby, Caroline Quentin, Elizabeth Hurley, John Cleese, Katy Brand, Kelsey Grammer, Kris Marshall, Naomi Frederick, Nathalie Cox, Oliver Smith, Ray Fearon, Talulah Riley
 
IMDb Blurb: Father Christmas Is Back centers around four sisters who have re-united for the Christmas Holiday in a Yorkshire mansion. Misunderstandings uncover the long-buried secret that tore their family apart, so many years ago.

 
Cat’s Point of View:
I have to admit, I was a bit disappointed with Father Christmas is Back. I started out very hopeful and excited for this film because of its cast. Once the picture began, the deflating process that took the wind from my proverbial sails was rather rapid.
 
Father Christmas is Back wasn’t horrible, it was just…missing something…OK, a lot. It was missing a lot.

 
I’ve had a week of ESPN playing in the background with my Father-in-law visiting for Christmas. The fact that some of that was more entertaining than what I just watched is, for lack of any better word, quite the fumble.
 
I absolutely adore John Cleese (Elliot the Littlest Reindeer, The Very Excellent Mr. Dundee, Clifford the Big Red Dog). He is one of the pillars of British Comedy, and will forever be in my heart as one of the Monty Python boys. His role in Father Christmas is Back simply didn’t utilize his full potential. He certainly didn’t disappoint – I just feel he was in a situation where he had to make the most of what he was given to work with.

 
I think the same could really be said for Elizabeth Hurley (An Elephant's Journey, The Royals, Runaways) and Kelsey Grammer (Money Plane, Trollhunters: Rise of the Titans, Black Box). They were the other two large draws for me to this film.
 
All told, Father Christmas is Back was amusing but fell a bit flat. I didn’t really jive with elements of the plot, it was a bit too all over the place, and the twist rather rankled. I had a very hard time suspending disbelief here.
 
I’m afraid this one falls into the category of “bless their hearts, they tried.” 

Rotten Tomatoes Critic Score – None
Rotten Tomatoes Audience Score – 9%
Metascore – None
Metacritic User Score – 2.9/10
IMDB Score – 4.5/10
 
Trust the Dice: Cat’s Rating – 2.5/5
 
Movie Trailer:

Teddy (2021)

 

Streaming Services: Shudder
Movie Name/Year: Teddy (2021)
Genre: Horror
Length: 88 minutes
Rating: Unrated
Production/Distribution: Shudder, Baxter Films, Les Films Velvet, The Jokers, Canal+, Ciné+, WTFilms, Indéfilms 8, SofiTVciné 7, Région Occitanie/Pyrénées-Méditerranée, Centre national du cinéma et de l'image animée, Société des Producteurs de Cinéma et de Télévision, Cine Canibal
Directors: Ludovic Boukherma, Zoran Boukherma
Writers: Ludovic Boukherma, Zoran Boukherma
Actors: Anthony Bajon, Christine Gautier, Ludovic Torrent, Guillaume Mattera, Jean-Michel Ricart, Alain Boitel, Noémie Lvovsky
 
Blurb from IMDb:  In a rural French town, twenty-something Teddy is scratched by an unknown beast and slowly undergoes frightening changes.

 
Cat’s Point of View:

At this moment, I’m finding it hard to put my feelings about Teddy into words. I’m conflicted.
 
Let’s rewind a little bit.
 
When Selina and I watched the trailer for Teddy, prior to putting our respective Top 20 lists together, I gave this a 4.5 out of 5 rating reflecting my desire to watch the film. I noted that it looked like a fun dark comedy coming-of-age tale focusing on the titular young spa employee. Teddy landed at #13 on my personal Top 20, while Selina was a bit less optimistic – listing the movie as #19 on hers.
 
Now that the credits have rolled, I find myself leaning more in her direction.

 
Teddy wasn’t horrible, don’t get me wrong. I just feel like there was a lot of buildup throughout the production and too little payoff. 

Events begin oddly. Unfortunately, Teddy only builds momentum with its awkwardness rather than offering relief through story satisfaction.
 
I imagine that it’s a hard and awkward life to be the village black sheep in such a tiny community as shown in Teddy. The production went full bore on those elements, however, and teased the wolf more than I would have liked. I’m not sure if Teddy suffered from low budget woes resulting in some of those decisions, or if the odd and drawn-out process was purposeful.
 
Each part was acted well. I just couldn’t seem to invest in any of the characters.

 
Where was my werewolf?! I think that’s my biggest frustration with Teddy. I didn’t even get the dry dark comedy I was looking forward to. I had a couple chuckles, but Teddy took itself more seriously than I felt it should have.
 
I’m not sure that I would actively steer anyone away from Teddy, but I doubt I’d offer the title up if asked for recommendations.
 
Be that as it may, you can watch Teddy and judge for yourself starting Thursday, August 5th on Shudder. 

 
Rotten Tomatoes Critic Score – None
Rotten Tomatoes Audience Score – None
Metascore – None
Metacritic User Score – None
IMDB Score – 6.3/10
 
Trust the Dice: Parental Advisory Rating – R
 
Trust the Dice: Cat’s Rating – 2.5/5
 
Movie Trailer:

Shortcut (2020)

Streaming Services: Hulu
Movie Name/Year: Shortcut (2020)
Genre: Adventure, Fantasy, Horror
Length: 80 minutes
Rating: R 
Production/Distribution: Play Entertainment, Camaleo, Sternenberg Films, Mad Rocket Entertainment, Regione Lazio, Darkland Distribution, Gravitas Ventures, Minerva Pictures, WOWOW Cinema
Director: Alessio Liguori
Writer: Daniele Cosci
Actors: Jack Kane, Zander Emlano, Zak Sutcliffe, Sophie Jane Oliver, Molly Dew, David Keyes, Terence Anderson
 
Blurb from IMDb: A mysterious creature terrorizes five teenage friends after their bus takes a shortcut on a desolate road in the wild.
 

Selina’s Point of View:
Although I enjoyed the score of Shortcut, that’s the only nice thing I really have to say.
 
Shortcut is The Breakfast Club (1985) vs. evil.
 
This is a familiar trope. Projects like this go for a PG-13 rating, with very identifiable stereotypes (nerd, goofball, rebel, jock, virgin), low gore, and decent – but toned down – visuals. Many of the flicks that follow this recipe can be great. They wind up making for decent beginner horror films for teens just becoming old enough to enjoy the genre.
 
The thing is, Shortcut forgets its audience.
 
It’s rated R, first of all, which keeps the people who might enjoy it from actually being allowed to see it. It has a decent antagonist twist, early on, but then also tries to inject various tropes from other sub-genres without backing up the scenes.
 

For example, a character has a premonition at one point. I don’t consider this a spoiler, because it is never brought up again. Even he doesn’t mention it. It just happens, and then life moves on like it didn’t. Why bother wasting the time?
 
There are quite a few scenes, along those lines, that don’t matter. There’s some forced emotional bonding, some unnecessary backstory about a guy that’s not part of the plot, and some sequel baiting at the end that winds up keeping the conclusion from delivering the message it seemed to have.
 
I like monster movies. I wanted to like Shortcut. Unfortunately, I just couldn’t.
 
The creators made a film for an audience that they then barred from watching it. I thought maybe that meant they were new to directing and writing, but they’re not. It was an inexcusable oversight.
 
If you are looking for a starter horror flick for your 14/15-year-old that’s just starting to show interest in horror, this is not the worst start. There’s no sexual content and there’s minimal gore. It’s a soft R at most. If you’re an adult, don’t waste your time – there are better monster films out there.
 

Cat’s Point of View:

I feel like I just watched another movie that was misnamed. The title definitely clashes with what actually happens in Shortcut. If anything, this was a bit of a long meander rather than the brevity that the name suggests. I was surprised when I saw this was only 80 minutes long. It felt like forever.
 
Let me backtrack a little here and explain what I think Shortcut did right (or at least decently), before I begin the laundry list of things that irked me.
 
Monster movies can be great fun – especially when the critter in question is horrifying. There were some moments of real tension and horror as the shadowy figure was teased initially. I’d even go so far as to say there were flashes of the creature that were even terrifying. The rest of the time, I was simply looking at it and pondering what it was really supposed to be. That took a bit of the edge off, unfortunately. I do appreciate the fact that the production achieved the big-bad with practical effects, though. I’m afraid the majority of the tense moments and fear (using the word generously here) I experienced during this movie were at the hands of human characters.

I loved the old bus that served as a good chunk of the setting for the first half of Shortcut. It’s really neat. I’m fairly sure, however, that it can reach speeds significantly higher than shown in this film. I felt like it could have been pushed faster in some scenes. The snail-like pace of the vehicle made everything feel like it dragged on slower. It’s unfortunate, really. Iconic vehicles like that can add so much to a horror film. Take the creeper’s truck in Jeepers Creepers (2001) for example. Every time I see a truck that even remotely resembles that thing, I get chills. Of course, the two films are not in the same category when it comes to the caliber.

Sadly, the more I think about it, I am finding that every aspect I did enjoy with Shortcut had a rather dismal side to it. The story had some real potential but seemed to lose its way. There were elements that were played up to a large degree at the beginning that never saw follow-through. Some of the acting was phenomenal, and yet at other times, there was a bit left to be desired.

I thought it might be possible that the disjointed quirkiness of Shortcut could be chalked up to a difference in vision between the writer and director. When I looked at IMDb, however, I found that this particular writing and directing duo have been working together for the better part of a decade. The chances of the pair failing to envision the story as intended are slim.
 
In short, I had hopes for Shortcut that this movie took the long way around in order to dash.  That being said, considering the film is light on gore and has a teen-centric plot, it wouldn’t be a bad movie to have on in the background for that age group during a sleepover or something of that nature where something “scary” is desired but will largely be ignored anyway. The R rating clearly came from language, rather than the usual more grisly or explicit reasons that are common to the horror genre and yet lacking in this production.
 
Shortcut is not likely to remain very memorable for me, but it wasn’t bad enough for me to actively steer anyone away from it. There are far better monster films out there, though.
 

Rotten Tomatoes Critic Score – 59%
Rotten Tomatoes Audience Score – 24%
Metascore – 26/100
Metacritic User Score – None
IMDB Score – 3.9/10
 
Trust the Dice: Selina’s Rating – 2/5
Trust the Dice: Cat’s Rating – 2/5
 
Movie Trailer:

Thunder Force (2021)

Streaming Services: Netflix
Movie Name/Year: Thunder Force (2021)
Genre: Action, Adventure, Comedy
Length: 106 minutes
Rating: PG-13
Production/Distribution: Marc Platt Productions, Netflix
Director: Ben Falcone
Writer: Ben Falcone
Actors: Melissa McCarthy, Octavia Spencer, Jason Bateman, Bobby Cannavale, Pom Klementieff, Melissa Leo, Taylor Mosby, Marcella Lowery, Melissa Ponzio, Ben Falcone, Nate Hitpas, David Storrs, Bria Danielle, Tai Leshaun, Vivian Falcone, Mia Kaplan
 
Blurb from IMDb: In a world where supervillains are commonplace, two estranged childhood best friends reunite after one devises a treatment that gives them powers to protect their city.

Selina’s Point of View:
I’ve had a few people challenge my statements about what I expected from this film.
 
If you haven’t read my Top 20 for April 2021, you can read it here.
 
I basically said that Melissa McCarthy (St. Vincent, Mike & Molly, The Kitchen) strikes me as the female version of Adam Sandler (Uncut Gems, Murder Mystery, Hubie Halloween). She’s a great actor who chooses parts in lower quality flicks. Whether it’s because she has bad judgement or just enjoys playing those kinds of characters, I don’t think it matters.
 
As a result, I expected this movie wouldn’t be phenomenal, but I had to include it because of how much I enjoyed the trailer and the idea.
 
Thunder Force hit every pitfall that I thought it would.
 
This is one of those situations where some of the stuff in the trailer didn’t even make the film. The parts that I didn’t see in my watch-through seemed like they had been added to the trailer instead of being cut from the movie. I see this as a form of lying to the audience. It’s not something I can get behind.
 
A lot of the flick was tropey, but I can get passed that most of the time.
 

None of the tropes were of the deal-breaker variety. They were just things you expect from your run-of-the-mill superhero and/or comedy fare. Stuff like a comic book panel exposition opening or talking badly about someone who turns out to be within earshot.
 
A good movie can have those kinds of things in it without taking a quality hit.
 
Unfortunately, Thunder Force just wasn’t good.
 
The actors were fine, but the script was full of badly-done cringe and second-hand embarrassment comedy. A lot of the ‘laughs’ – I use that term loosely – were based on McCarthy’s specific brand of clumsy, too-obvious, humor.
 
I’ll admit that I enjoyed the origin of the friendship between the two main characters and I thought the ‘grandma’ character was way too good for the film. Also, the soundtrack was top-notch.
 
Other than that, I didn’t have a good time watching this one.
 
This is not something I’m ever going to revisit – if I even remember it exists.

Cat’s Point of View:
Thunder Force was a bit of a wild card for us this month. You never quite know what you’re going to get with a Melissa McCarthy movie. Some are excellent, and some are just bonkers. In this case, I’m happy to say that I found this film bonkers – in the most excellent way.
 
For a moment, I was wondering if there was an actual comic out there that formed the basis for this story. It was clear that comic superhero tales were a heavy inspiration for the framing of the movie.
 
Writer/Director, Ben Falcone (Tammy, The Boss, Life of the Party), brought this to life as an original stand-alone and I’m here for it. Hey Netflix – if you’re not planning on doing a sequel or series with this IP, you might consider dabbling in the graphic novel market with this team. Just saying.
 
That being said, I think it’s clear that I really enjoyed the slightly bumbling crime-fighting duo of McCarthy and Octavia Spencer (Hidden Figures, Ma, Onward). I was really feeling a Hancock (2008) meets a legit superhero movie mash-up. I also love how these 2 beautiful women weren’t forced to crash diet or whatever else it is that Hollywood does to rapidly shed weight for roles. They were phenomenal as their authentic selves and I’m glad that they were able to represent for those of us with ‘realistic’ body types.

As some of you know, I’m a bit of an action movie fanatic. I loved the physicality that was brought to the superhero and villain roles here. The stunts were well executed. For that matter, I didn’t mind the CGI, either. They didn’t have to try too hard to sell this spectacular satire.
 
Jason Bateman (Horrible Bosses, Zootopia, Game Night) and Bobby Cannavale (Boardwalk Empire, Motherless Brooklyn, Mr. Robot) were also spot-on perfect for their respective character roles. I think Cannavale gets a bit type-cast, but he does what he does really well, so it’s not a complaint. Bateman’s character was absolutely ludicrous and added some of the cornier parts of the humor within the story; but, surprisingly, didn’t make the whole film feel hokey. (Though parts at the end were rather…strange.)
 
My daughter watched this one with me and we had a great time laughing together over this crazy tale of family, friendship, and ass-kickery. I actually got maudlin in a few places and she was engrossed with the movie so much that she didn’t even notice. I would caution that there are some mild language and adult situations in the film so this is generally not the best movie for the very young, but it should be fine for teens.
 
Thumbs up, Netflix. This was exactly what I needed after a miserable week of oral surgery pain. I might even watch this one again. I certainly wouldn’t hesitate to recommend Thunder Force for anyone looking to de-stress and have a good time.
 

Rotten Tomatoes Critic Score – 23%
Rotten Tomatoes Audience Score – 25%
Metascore – 34/100
Metacritic User Score – 1.4/10
IMDB Score – 3.5/10
 
Trust the Dice: Selina’s Rating – 1.5/5
Trust the Dice: Cat’s Rating – 4/5
 
Movie Trailer:

Monster Hunter (2020)

Streaming Services: N/A
Movie Name/Year: Monster Hunter (2020)
Genre: Action, Adventure, Fantasy
Length: 99 minutes
Rating: PG-13
Production/Distribution: Constantin Film, Impact Pictures, Capcom Company, Tencent Pictures, Toho Company, China Film Group Corporation, Constantin Film Verleih, Constantin-Film, Praesens-Film, Screen Gems, Sony Pictures Releasing Argentina, Sony Pictures Releasing, Toho Company, Towa Pictures, United International Pictures (UIP), Universal Pictures International (UPI)
Director: Paul W.S. Anderson
Writer: Paul W.S. Anderson, Kaname Fujioka
Actors: Milla Jovovich, Tony Jaa, T.I., Meagan Good, Diego Boneta, Josh Helman, Jin Au-Yeung, Ron Perlman, Jannik Schümann, Hirona Yamazaki, Nic Rasenti, Nanda Costa, Aaron Beelner, Schelaine Bennett, Adrián Muñoz
 
Blurb from IMDb: When Lt. Artemis and her loyal soldiers are transported to a new world, they engage in a desperate battle for survival against enormous enemies with incredible powers. Feature film based on the video game by Capcom.
 

Selina’s Point of View:
I have blue balls.
 
I don’t have testicles… but yes. That’s what this is. Blue balls.
 
There was no ending to Monster Hunter. It cut off during the climax. Nothing got resolved at all. It looks like something is going to happen, and then it doesn’t. Credits roll and we get a cute, but unnecessary, mid-credits scene.
 
It doesn’t even feel like the movie was leaving things open for a sequel, it feels like a part 1 – at best. Even if it was, that wouldn’t have been the place to cut it.
 
I started at the end with this one, because it’s the part that sticks out the most. It’s the feeling I’m left with. I’m unfulfilled and a little annoyed.
 
It wasn’t all bad, though.
 

The film was gorgeous. In fact, it works better as an hour-and-a-half commercial for the CGI team than an actual story.
 
The monsters felt super real. They were terrifying and designed incredibly well.
 
There were also some really great fight scenes… not enough of them to excuse the fact that I didn’t care about whether or not any of the characters survived.
 
That brings me to the next point: it had no heart. It didn’t go into the relationships enough, and most of what it did go into involved ridiculous trope-y script work. There were plot holes galore and just no reason to care.
 
Then, it winds up taking away the ending. If they had given us some kind of beautifully crafted, action-packed ending, it might have raised my opinion of it some. Instead, it left me feeling nothing. Like I wasted my money.
 
Monster Hunter is the epitome of style over substance. I will be surprised if it is not the biggest disappointment of the year where movies are concerned.
 

Rotten Tomatoes Critic Score – 49%
Rotten Tomatoes Audience Score – 70%
Metascore – 44/100
Metacritic User Score – 4.0/10
IMDB Score – 5.3/10
 
Trust the Dice: Selina’s Rating – 2/5
 
P.S.: Short mid-credit’s scene.
 
Movie Trailer: