Hit Man (2024)

 

 

Streaming Service: Netflix

Movie Name/Year: Hit Man (2024)

Genre: Action, Comedy, Crime, Romance

Length: 1h 55min

Rating: R

Director: Richard Linklater

Writers: Richard Linklater, Glen Powell, Skip Hollandsworth

Actors: Adria Arjona, Glen Powell, Retta, Austin Amelio, Molly Bernard, Mike Markoff, Bath Bartley

 

IMDb Blurb: A professor moonlighting as a hit man of sorts for his city police department, descends into dangerous, dubious territory when he finds himself attracted to a woman who enlists his services.

 

 

Selina’s Point of View:

When putting together for the Top 20 movies to watch in June of 2024, Hit Man was an easy pick to put in the top 10. It’s simply not smart to ignore any film directed by Richard Linklater (A Scanner Darkly, Boyhood, Bernie). The man is brilliant. He never misses as a director, sometimes as a producer, but never when he’s actively at the helm.

 

Still, I thought Hit Man would be cute at best. Somewhat funny, maybe a little relatable – the characters, if not the story/plot.

 

What I got blew my expectations out of the water.

 

 

Hit Man WAS very cute, and the main character was just as charming and relatable as he could be. Then there was this twist at the end that caught me completely off-guard. I felt so sure that I knew what was going to happen. I paused it within 15 minutes of the end, got a drink, had a conversation with my partner, and then came back to it like I wasn’t about to be rocked by this adorable little rom-com.

 

I watch a lot of movies. It’s very rare that one of them surprises me. The quality might throw me – I’ve seen small films with tiny budget blow mainstream flicks out of the water just as often as I’ve seen big-budget disasters, after all – but the actual content of a film doesn’t often shock me. Each genre has a stack of recipes that they pick from and it’s rare that any of them take that sharp left into something unseen.

 

Linklater took one of those rom-com recipes and turned it right on its head. Flawlessly, I might add.

 

I’m absolutely going to have to watch this film a few more times. Not just for myself, but because I’m going to have to show it to my best friend, my partner, their friends…

 

 

Cat’s Point of View:

Hit Man was my #1 pick for June 2024. My daughter and I watched it the day that it hit Netflix, and I was quite excited about it coming up for review. I could happily watch Hit Man over and over and likely find new nuances to appreciate..

 

There's really quite a lot to enjoy within this production. There's character development, comedy, betrayal, action, romance, a fun story, a twist, and an interesting setting. I could go on. 

 

Speaking of setting, I am always excited to watch a movie filmed in my home state of Louisiana. While the real-life person that this narrative was based on lived in Houston, TX and assisted that police department with their stings; the film location was switched to New Orleans for fiscal reasons. I think that it added an interesting twist to the story, myself. I am, admittedly, a bit biased on that front, however.

 

The cast for Hit Man was spot-on. Austin Amelio (Everybody Wants Some!!, The Walking Dead, Mercy Black) has a real knack for portraying characters you love to hate and he does a great job as an officer of questionable ethics here. Adria Arjona (True Detective, Triple Frontier, Andor) is more than just easy on the eyes. She did a fantastic job of portraying a character that was both strong and vulnerable, with a generous dash of calculating vixen thrown in for good measure. My favorite, however, was Glen Powell (The Expendables 3, Scream Queens, Top Gun: Maverick).

 

 

Hit Man was a massively effective vehicle for Powell to show off his range. In this one role he got to explore so many different characters. Some felt more caricature than anything, but that was by design. It's explained in the movie, so I don't want to spoil that here. Some of the little character vignettes we got to enjoy in Hit Man were clearly in homage to other cinematic hatchet men that have come before. I had a good giggle recognizing them.

 

Powell's collaboration with co-writer and director Richard Linklater (Dazed and Confused, School of Rock, Last Flag Flying) really paid off and yielded a really entertaining movie that will remain memorable for years to come. Based on interviews I've seen and articles touching on this creative team-up, they had quite the good time working on this together, and I think that translates into the quality of the end-product we enjoy on screen. I hope they're able to work on something together in the future, as well.

 

If you haven't seen Hit Man yet and enjoy the action rom-com genre, I would absolutely recommend a streaming session to partake of this production as soon as you can.

 

 

Rotten Tomatoes Critic Score – 95%

Rotten Tomatoes Audience Score – 91%

Metascore – 82%

Metacritic User Score – 6.7/10

IMDB Score – 6.9/10

 

Trust the Dice: Selina’s Rating – 5/5

Trust the Dice: Cat’s Rating – 5/5

 

Movie Trailer:

Scream (2022)

Streaming Service: Paramount +
Movie Name/Year: Scream (2022)
Genre: Horror, Mystery, Thriller
Length: 1h 54min
Rating: R
Production/Distribution: B&H Film Distribution, Constantin-Film, Forum Hungary, Lantern Entertainment, NOS Audiovisuais, Odeon, Outerbanks Entertainment, Paramount Home Entertainment, Paramount Pictures, Paramount Pictures Australia, Paramount Pictures Germany, Paramount Pictures International, Paramount Pictures UK, Project X Entertainment, Radio Silence Productions, Spyglass Media Group, United International Pictures (UIP), Universal Pictures International, Warner Bros. Pictures
Director: Matt Bettinelli-Olpin, Tyler Gillett
Writer: James Vanderbilt, Guy Busick, Kevin Williamson
Actors: Neve Campbell, Courteney Cox, David Arquette, Melissa Barrera, Jack Quaid, Mikey Madison, Jenna Ortega, Dylan Minnette, Jasmin Savoy Brown, Mason Gooding, Sonia Ammar, Marley Shelton, Skeet Ulrich
 
Blurb from IMDb: 25 years after a streak of brutal murders shocked the quiet town of Woodsboro, Calif., a new killer dons the Ghostface mask and begins targeting a group of teenagers to resurrect secrets from the town's deadly past.
 

Selina’s Point of View:
Scream was much more in the vein of the original film than any of the other sequels were.
 
The sequels always took that meta-ness and tried to turn it into something it wasn’t. As a result, they never quite captured that first feeling. Instead, the majority of them wound up feeling kind of pointless. In Scream, however, we find the tropes being made fun of are more up to date and manage to be a bit subverted.
 
Through use of music and our own expectations, the film really plays with suspense. It never tries to lure us into a false sense of security, though. I’m guessing that’s because the creative team knows better. They know exactly who we’re going to expect and turn that around on us.
 

When I found out the Scream “requel” would be directed by Tyler Gillet (V/H/S, Devil’s Due, Southbound) and Matt Bettinelli-Olpin (V/H/S, Devil’s Due, Southbound), I had high hopes. Their work on Ready or Not more than impressed me and I was absolutely ready for their next project. I’m glad to say they lived up to my expectations.
 
I enjoyed Scream in all its corny, remade, sequel-y, goodness. I think it’s going to be a hard movie for any further from the series to follow.
 
Scream 6 comes out in 2023, supposedly. That I’m a little nervous about.
 

Cat’s Point of View:
With this 4th sequel to the original Scream, I was initially leery – for more than just the fact that they recycled the original movie title without the number to indicate it’s the 5th movie. Then, after doing some digging, I learned that the core cast of the original would be involved and the writing and directing were in capable hands, I began to have more hope.
 
The new Scream delivered. The story leaned into all the best aspects that have made this franchise a game-changer for horror. Its self-awareness and self-deprecation in the humor and story were huge selling points. I mean, seriously, this series of films has invented a fictional franchise of Stab movies to echo the happenings. Where else could you find something crazy like that?
 
Another aspect that I really enjoyed in this new installment was the fact that they embraced modern technology. From the alarm system app to clips of YouTube streamers reviewing the Stab movies – Scream was keeping up with the times. Usually, productions conveniently write out the tech in some way. There’s so much more that this Scream incorporates into the landscape of this film, but I don’t want to spoil all the details for you.
 
I think directors Matt Bettinelli-Olpin and Tyler Gillett, as well as writers James Vanderbilt (White House Down, Independence Day: Resurgence, Murder Mystery) and Guy Busick (Stan Against Evil, Ready or Not, Castle Rock), really did an excellent job here of creating an intelligent movie that was both a love letter to the horror genre and to the franchise’s creator, the late great Wes Craven (1939–2015). In addition to the dedication at the end of Scream, there were also character names and locations that gave callbacks to his work. (There were so many other little horror-trivia-related Easter Eggs everywhere. It was unreal.)
 

If you love this series, the good news is that there is a Scream 6 currently in the works. Unfortunately, I now have mixed feelings about the next movie, considering Neve Campbell (House of Cards, Skyscraper, The Lincoln Lawyer) went on record with Deadline earlier in June to state she turned down the offer to reprise her role again.
 
It was great, however, to see Campbell, Courteney Cox (Cougar Town, Mothers and Daughters, Shining Vale), and David Arquette (Dr. Bird's Advice for Sad Poets, Ghosts of the Ozarks, Quantum Cowboys) sharing the screen again and getting into the mix. There was speculation that the new friend-group cast, coupled with the returning cast, presented a torch-passing moment for the franchise. I think that might plausibly work, even with Campbell’s exit after this 5th installment. I remain hopeful. 
 
On-screen sisters Jenna Ortega (Yes Day, Jurassic World: Camp Cretaceous, American Carnage) and Melissa Barrera (Vida, In the Heights, All the World is Sleeping) gave commanding performances and their friend-group was cast so well that I got an eerie deja vu calling back to the first Scream. (This was likely quite purposeful.)
 
If you love the Scream movies, then definitely watch this new one as soon as you can. This was my second watch-through, having seen it as soon as it hit digital rentals a few months ago. I would gladly watch it again.
 

Rotten Tomatoes Critic Score – 76%
Rotten Tomatoes Audience Score – 81%
Metascore – 60%
Metacritic User Score – 7.0
IMDB Score – 6.4/10
 
Trust the Dice: Selina’s Rating – 5/5
Trust the Dice: Cat’s Rating – 5/5
 
Movie Trailer: 

Belle (2022)

 

Streaming Service: Amazon Prime ($3.99)
Movie Name/Year: Belle (2022)
Genre: Animation, Adventure, Drama
Length: 2h 1min
Rating: PG
Production/Distribution: Studio Chizu, BookWalker, Dentsu, Hakuhodo DY Media Partners, Kadokawa, Nippon Television Network, Toho Company, Yomiuri Telecasting Corporation, Toho, Golden Village Pictures, Purple Plan, GKIDS, Koch Films, BfParis, Wild Bunch Distribution
Director: Mamoru Hosoda
Writer: Mamoru Hosoda
Actors: Kaho Nakamura, Kenjirô Tsuda, Kôji Yakusho, Mami Koyama, Mamoru Miyano, Michiko Shimizu, Rina Izuta, Ryô Narita, Shôta Sometani, Tina Tamashiro, Toshiyuki Morikawa, Ikura, Ryôko Moriyama, Fuyumi Sakamoto, Yoshimi Iwasaki, Sachiyo Nakao, Sumi Shimamoto, Ken Ishiguro, Ermhoi, Hana, Takeru Satoh, Taichi Masu, Asami Miura, John Eric Bentley, Tom Bromhead, Tiana Camacho, Paul Castro Jr., David Chen, SungWon Cho, Courtney Chu, Victoria Dean, Jessica DiCicco, Brandon Engman, Larissa Gallagher, Jessica Gee-George, Heather Gonzalez, Barbara Goodson, Bentley Griffin, Martha Harms, Xanthe Huynh, Andrew Kishino, Anjali Kunapaneni, Wendee Lee, Ben Lepley, Lilypichu, Kyle McCarley, Noelle McGrath, Kylie McNeill, Julie Nathanson, Aaron Phillips, Zeno Robinson, Stephanie Sheh, Michael Sinterniklaas, Rachel Slotky, Laura Megan Stahl, Ellyn Stern, Frank Todaro, Cristina Valenzuela, Kiff VandenHeuvel, Aoi Yûki
 
IMDb Blurb: Suzu is a shy high school student living in a rural village. For years, she has only been a shadow of herself. But when she enters "U", a massive virtual world, she escapes into her online persona as Belle, a globally-beloved singer.

 
Cat’s Point of View:
I have been chomping at the bit to watch Belle since it came to my attention in preparation for the Top 20 Movies to Look Out For in January 2022 article. I was so excited for Belle’s release that I listed it as my #4 pick.
 
Now that I’ve watched Belle (multiple times, at that) I sincerely wish that I’d listed it higher (especially since a certain Marvel movie I’d listed as #1 didn’t even release as planned that month).
 
At some point this month, Belle became available for rental On-Demand at a price that fit my budget. My daughter had also wanted to watch Belle and so the moment we saw it available, we knew it had to be watched ASAP. As I write this review, I’m actually viewing Belle again (in the background) for the 3^rd time. My daughter has already watched it 3 times, herself – one instance while I was out running errands. I digress…

 
Why so many times? It deserves it and we are eking out every moment we’re able to out of the rental period for Belle. I’d say it’s safe to call Belle one of my new favorite movies of all time.
 
What’s the big deal, you might wonder? Belle was gorgeous and profound. The music was sensational, the imagery spectacular, the story layered and nuanced, and the performances were emotional. I resonated with the narrative on so many levels. The first watch-through nearly involved ugly crying. Admittedly, I can be a sap at times, but the themes echoed some of my life experiences to a degree. Music helped me find my ‘voice’ and break out of my shell when I was younger and the digital universe helped me connect with some of the most important people in my life.

 
In my Top 20 article, I compared Belle to a mash-up of the universe style of Ready Player One (2018), some similar tech to Sword Art Online (2012-), and the classic fairytale of Beauty and the Beast. On the surface, the story tackles coming-of-age in this increasingly digital age with social media and the like. The plot takes on bullying – particularly the cyber variety where netizens are quick to harass and cancel people from behind their mask of anonymity. The characters also had to navigate the craziness of High School. I thought it was a brilliant touch that the story used a game something like Risk as imagery of how kids and young adults have to navigate school factions and the rumor-mill, and what an extra nightmare that sort of scenario would be for a shy, introverted person or someone struggling with anxiety.
 
What the trailer doesn’t make clear, however, is that Belle also takes on trauma and loss from multiple angles.

 

Each of these elements became woven so deftly into the story so that I cared deeply for the characters. I understood their drive. I rooted for their friendships. It celebrated the essence of Beauty and the Beast without delving into the Stockholm Syndrome story we’re all used to. It leaned, instead, on compassion and empathy as well as finding inner resolve and taking action to right wrongs rather than just paying lip service with platitudes.
 
I am absolutely in awe of the work Mamoru Hosoda (Samurai Champloo, Wolf Children, Mirai) accomplished as writer and director of Belle. Hosoda’s Studio Chizu was given an amazing 10th-anniversary celebration with this production. I have enjoyed his work in the past and I certainly hope that he brings more ambitious projects like Belle to the table in the future.

 
At the moment, Belle does not appear to be included on any specific streaming platforms; however, you can find ways to view it by clicking here for its JustWatch listing.
 
If you’re able to find it, I couldn’t recommend Belle enough. I can tell you with certainty that this movie will soon become part of our ‘wall-o-movies’ personal collection in my home and I will be looking to purchase the soundtrack as well. I can’t get these songs out of my head.

Rotten Tomatoes Critic Score – 95%
Rotten Tomatoes Audience Score – 95%
Metascore – 83%
Metacritic User Score – 7.7/10
IMDB Score – 7.2/10
 
Trust the Dice: Cat’s Rating – 5/5
 
P.S. – Stills from scenes throughout the movie are shown during the credits.
 
Movie Trailer:

No Exit (2022)

Streaming Service: Hulu
Movie Name/Year: No Exit (2022)
Genre: Drama, Mystery, Thriller
Length: 95 minutes
Rating: R
Production/Distribution: 20th Century Studios, Flitcraft, Hulu, Disney+
Director: Damien Power
Writer:  Andrew Barrer, Gabriel Ferrari, Taylor Adams
Actors: Havana Rose Liu, Danny Ramirez, David Rysdahl, Mila Harris, Dennis Haysbert, Dale Dickey, Benedict Wall
 
Blurb from IMDb: During a blizzard and stranded at an isolated highway rest stop in the mountains, a college student discovers a kidnapped child hidden in a car belonging to one of the people inside.
 

Selina’s Point of View:
I hadn’t heard about the release of No Exit, it just appeared on Hulu one day. It was a random pick when I added it to the schedule. Hulu needs to do better at marketing their original films, because this one isn’t going to be seen by nearly as many people as it should be.
 
Everything about this movie defied expectations.
 
Obviously, I do try to go into everything I watch with an open mind. But, like most people, I’m a victim of my biases. After watching enough films, it becomes easy to see commonalities that almost force expectation. What I saw here was an early movie from a lesser-known director that had a couple of recognizable faces, but no marketing at all. To me, that said Hulu was giving a director a shot, but didn’t have faith in it. I’ll admit, I settled in for a flick I thought would be a trainwreck.
 
I was wrong.
 
Not only was No Exit amazing, but director Damien Power (Killing Ground, Peekaboo, To Be) showed off the kind of talent that has created household names. I’m going to be following his career very closely from here on out.
 

There was nothing to dislike here. If I had to be overly critical, I would say that I didn’t love David Rysdahl’s (Nine Days, The Land of Owls, Dead Pigs) character. I thought he was a bit overdone, but even that turned out to not be an issue. By the end, it made sense for the story.
 
Speaking of the story, the writing was exceptional as well. I hit a point about 20-minutes in where I was resigned to the belief that No Exit was going to be a basic-bitch flick. After all, I’d already predicted everything that was happening. I leaned back in my chair, crossed my arms, and made a snarky note in my book. No one can say that the writer(s) didn’t know the minds of their target audience, though, because about 5-minutes later I realized they’d lured me into thinking that on purpose.
 
I don’t know whether to credit screenwriters Andrew Barrer (Die in a Gunfight, Ant-Man and the Wasp, Haunt) and Gabriel Ferrari (Die in a Gunfight, Ant-Man and the Wasp, Quantum and Woody) with all that, or the novel’s author, Taylor Adams. I haven’t read the book, so I don’t know what parts of the story were altered for the screen. I’m just going to send out a general ‘hell yeah’ to them all.
 
I’m also going to take a trip to the store, because I need to get this book.
 
No Exit destroyed every expectation I could have had and reminded me to keep my biases out of it.
 

Cat’s Point of View:
I was excited to see No Exit.
 
Havana Rose Liu (Mayday, The Chair, The Sky Is Everywhere) played such a relatable character for me. There have definitely been times in my life I was ‘over it’ when faced with working on my own issues. I could feel her desperation to respond to her family crisis. It provided a steady undercurrent of tension below the other events within the movie.
 
No Exit swept me along on this wild ride and didn’t pump the brakes. Just when I thought things were heading in one direction, the story threw in twists that blindsided me.
 

It was also a treat to have Dale Dickey (Winter's Bone, Super 8, Blood Father) and Dennis Haysbert (The Unit, Fist Fight, Lucifer) among the cast. They were excellent choices for their roles and definitely helped elevate this production.
 
No Exit took good advantage of the snowy setting. The remote and decrepit visitor’s center felt sufficiently isolated. I had no trouble suspending disbelief.
 
The credits for No Exit mentioned that this film is a book adaptation. I might just put this one on my ever-expanding to-read list. I really enjoyed the story that was brought to the screen. I’m intrigued as to whether there’s more to the tale that just didn’t fit in the runtime.
 
If you have a subscription to Hulu, No Exit is an excellent choice for a movie night in. Bundle up with a warm beverage and don’t forget to breathe.
 

Rotten Tomatoes Critic Score – 58%
Rotten Tomatoes Audience Score – 56%
Metascore – 54%
Metacritic User Score – 6.6
IMDB Score – 6.1/10
 
Trust the Dice: Selina’s Rating – 4.5/5
Trust the Dice: Cat’s Rating – 4/5
 
Movie Trailer:

Help (2022)

Movie Name/Year: Help (2022)
Genre: Drama, Mystery, Thriller
Length: 96 minutes
Rating: Unrated
Production/Distribution: Ridder Films
Director: Blake Ridder
Writer: Blake Ridder
Actors: Louis James, Emily Redpath, Sarah Alexandra Marks, Duncan James, Blake Ridder, Amy Jim, Stuart Wolfe-Murray
 
Blurb from IMDb: A young woman's life turns chaotic when she uncovers a deadly secret about her friend.

Selina’s Point of View:
This is a rough one.
 
There’s a lot to unpack with Help. It’s going to be difficult to go into the ups and downs without hitting on spoilers – but I’m going to do my best.
 
Right off the bat there’s a relatively triggering 15-second scene. It’s pre-title card, it’s not super graphic, but it’s going to immediately turn some people off. Personally, I think the inclusion of this scene is essential. I don’t often say that with flicks that start off with a flashback, but I believe the inclusion of this one really kicks off the mind-fuckery.
 
Unfortunately, I do believe that Help is woefully miscategorized. It’s not in any way, shape, or form, a mystery. People looking to watch a puzzle unfold on screen will be disappointed here. I think that’s going to lead to negative reviews that could have been avoided. It has a few significant twists, yes, but not in that ‘solve the puzzle along the way’ feel that mysteries have.
 

Where the twists are concerned, they are relatively good. I did predict one from about 20 minutes in, but the others were decently foreshadowed without being too obvious. In fact, when those surprises start coming, the flick goes from 0 to 100 real quick.
 
The rest of Help feels a bit slow. It wouldn’t be that big of a deal, a lot of dramas go slow, except that the dialogue really doesn’t feel natural either. So much of it is out-of-place and forced. Some of it even seems to be shock for shock’s sake. The script needed a great deal more work before being put into a final project.
 
That said, I think this is a healthy full-length feature film debut for writer/director Blake Ridder. You can’t expect the best work of someone’s career to come first, and Help does feel like a fine first step. Ridder will learn a lot just from making this film and he’ll bring it into the rest of his career.
 
I am interested in seeing what he does next. Properly genred, of course.
 

Cat’s Point of View:
I didn’t have any preconceived notions about Help before watching. Well, that is, not this movie at least. I think I got it confused with another movie by the same title released in 2021. I quickly figured out that this Help was something altogether different and I was on board for the ride.
 
Help is labeled as a thriller, but you might feel it wasn’t categorized correctly if you judge based on the beginning of the film. This one is a slow burn that takes a bit to get going, all the while building tension. I could tell that something was afoot, it just wasn’t clear where the plot bus was headed.
 
Once the story in Help picked up steam, it became a veritable runaway train careening towards its ultimate conclusion. I didn’t see these twists and turns coming, though I probably should have.
 

The cast delivered some intense performances, though there was an occasional awkwardness to what was happening on screen. I’m not sure if that was intentional, however. It would generally make sense in hindsight, but as events were unfolding on the screen things didn’t exactly flow as smoothly sometimes.
 
I was left a bit stunned as the credits began to roll. Help went to some shockingly dark places. I wish I could provide a trigger warning without spoiling things, but it would be impossible. If one were to measure the success of a film by whether or not it lingered with you after its finale, we would need to chalk Help up as a win. I don’t see myself watching it again in the future, though. It just wasn't my cup of tea.

Rotten Tomatoes Critic Score – 50%
Rotten Tomatoes Audience Score – None
Metascore – None
Metacritic User Score – None
IMDB Score – None
 
Trust the Dice: Selina’s Rating – 3/5
Trust the Dice: Cat’s Rating – 2.5/5
 
Trust-the-Dice’s Parental Advisory Rating: R
 
Movie Trailer:

Ominous October - Mass Hysteria (2019)

Streaming Service: Shudder
Movie Name/Year: Mass Hysteria (2020)
Genre: Comedy, Horror
Length: 66 minutes
Rating: TV-MA
Production/Distribution: First-Name Films, The Horror Collective
Director: Arielle Cimino, Jeff Ryan
Writer: Jonathan T. Coleman, Christopher O'Connell
Actors: Geena Santiago, Jeff Ryan, Scott Swayze, Alexandra Dietrich, Luke Deardorff, Destry Allyn Spielberg, Robert D. Murphy, Matt Perusse, Louis Cancelmi, Charlie Pollock, Daniel Alvarado, Michelle Veintimilla, Jessica Richmond, Molly Sidell, Kellie Moon, Hannah Wagner, Chloe Eaton
 
Blurb from IMDb: A group of Salem witch trial reenactors find themselves at the center of a modern day witch hunt.
 

Selina’s Point of View:
I’m not often surprised by the movies we see. Sure, a twist might catch me off-guard, or I might like something more or less than expected – but this surprised me more in the way that Slaxx (2021) did than something like The Sixth Sense (1999). It altered my expectations in ways that most movies don’t.
 
It started out cute, in a home-brew kind of way. If I had to make any comparisons, I’d have said it felt like it was in the same category as something like The Gamers (2002). Low budget, kind of funny, nothing that would stand up to the big-name flicks, but watchable. Even enjoyable.
 
What started campy and mildly interesting, turned menacing in the last ten minutes (or so).
 
The twist really brought the creep factor. It would have been a decent movie either way, but I wouldn’t have labeled it much of a horror film until that script flipped at the end.
 

I was shocked.
 
I think what made it scarier than it probably set out to be, was that it made sense.
 
My knee-jerk reaction was that it didn’t, but after thinking about it for a few minutes, I bought it. I saw the logic in it. When horror has some of that logic, it just hits harder.
 
I think Mass Hysteria is really worth it. I’d recommend gathering some friends and getting some popcorn so you can have some real fun with it. It’s a great flick for a teenage Halloween sleep over. Maybe not the youngest teens, but 15 and above.
 

Cat’s Point of View:
I am pretty sure I’ve mentioned before that I have a great appreciation for stories surrounding the Salem Witch Trials of the 1690s. Mass Hysteria is set in the modern era pre-pandemic but it beautifully taps into the spirit of its title and the location of its setting for some entertaining satire.
 
One of the things I appreciated the most about Mass Hysteria was that it didn’t take itself too seriously. The movie leaned into the tropes surrounding tourists and their expectations for a macabre historic locations, such as Salem, and it was glorious.
 
It’s clear that there was a bit of a shoestring budget involved, but they got the most bang for their buck by letting the audience imagine most of the grisly violence occurring – rather than having to engineer the physical effects for it all to happen on screen. There’s something to be said about the mind’s ability to fill in the blanks with horror movies. What we imagine can be far scarier than anything an SFX department could put together.
 

So much of Mass Hysteria is over the top, but it works – right down to the customized license plate on a jacked-up truck featured in the later part of the film.
 
It even managed to throw me a little. I thought I had the plot all figured out in the beginning. I thought it was easily predictable – I was wrong.
 
If you’re looking for a serious flick to sate your thirst for horror this Ominous October, Mass Hysteria might not be for you. If you are, however, looking for an entertaining romp into the dangers of religious zeal paired with mob mentality and dumb tourists; the shenanigans that ensue here would be a fun addition to your Halloween viewing.
 
If you have access to Shudder, I encourage satire fans to check it out.
 

Rotten Tomatoes Critic Score – None
Rotten Tomatoes Audience Score – None
Metascore – None
Metacritic User Score – None
IMDB Score – 5.2/10
 
Trust the Dice: Selina’s Rating – 4/5
Trust the Dice: Cat’s Rating – 3.5/5
 
P.S. Short scene during the credits.
 
Movie Trailer:

Superhost (2021)

Streaming Service: Shudder
Movie Name/Year: Superhost (2021)
Genre: Horror, Thriller
Length: 84 minutes
Rating: Unrated
Production/Distribution: Superchill, Shudder
Director: Brandon Christensen
Writer: Brandon Christensen
Actors: Sara Canning, Osric Chaus, Gracie Gillam, Barbara Crampton
 
Blurb from IMDb: With their follower count dwindling, travel vloggers Teddy and Claire pivot to creating viral content around their most recent "superhost," Rebecca, who wants more from the duo than a great review.
 

Selina’s Point of View:
Throughout the past couple of months, I’ve been hearing about two horror movies over all. Both are a part of Shudder’s September line-up. The first was Martyrs Lane (2021), which Cat reviewed on the 8th. This is the other. 
 
To say there’s been buzz about Superhost would be an understatement. I like to stay away from film reviews until after I’ve seen the project, but that was incredibly difficult this time. Despite that, I don’t think it colored my opinion here in the slightest.
 
Superhost was worth the hype.
 
Sara Canning (Nancy Drew, An Awkward Balance, Z) and Osric Chau (Supernatural, The Flash, Circle of Bones) felt like a natural couple. They acted one way on film for their channel, and were completely different off-camera. I think a lot of fans forget that, most of the time, vloggers are putting on a show. In fact, a lot of movies based around internet personalities tend to push that narrative by showing people acting the same way in both situations. The way it was handled here just felt more real.
 
As much as the main actors made me feel for their characters, though, they did not hold a candle to the antagonist.
 

Gracie Gillam (Tales of Halloween, Z Nation, Teen Beach 2) was perfect for her roll as the creepy host. At first, it looked a touch like overacting, but I’m certain now that was by design. Every time she was on screen my skin crawled, as if I was looking at something unnatural. If they had cast anyone else in her role, I do not believe Superhost would have the same level of buzz as it does now.
 
I’ll admit that a lot of the scares did fit into the ‘jump’ category, and there were parts that were pretty predictable, but none of that subtracted from how much I enjoyed Superhost.
 
Come to think of it, the fact that there were some predictable parts, actually made the ending more shocking. It was as if writer/director Brandon Christensen (Z, Black Ice, Still/Born) opted to lean hard into one specific trope, just to make sure he could erase any expectations outside of it. It was an effective choice.
 
I’d say Superhost is in my top 5 horror films of the year so far.
 
If you don’t have Shudder, this is a reason to subscribe.
 

Cat’s Point of View:

Superhost definitely struck a chord with me as I was putting together our Top 20 Movies Coming Out In September article. I’ve been waiting to experience these vlogger shenanigans with great antici…pation. (Hey, it’s almost October. I couldn’t resist.)
 
The concept of blending a vlogger channel, vacation rental reviews, and a horror movie isn’t something that’s been rehashed into the ground yet. I loved the fact that it felt fresh, and I’m generally down for some comedy on the side with my thrills and chills. The trailer for Superhost seemed to promise quite the entertaining package.
 
I’d have to say, it delivered.

Superhost certainly took me on a ride from being a squirmy and uncomfortable voyeur into what seemed like a relationship held together with gum and paperclips (or in this case, likes and subscriptions?) into the insanity of the over-the-top rental host. There were moments I laughed, and others that I could only blink at the screen as I shared the ‘WTF’ reaction the vloggers were having.
 

The soundtrack as well as the remote and singular setting worked in tandem to build up tension as events unfolded. I found myself in the vlogger’s shoes with my pulse pounding. Curse my silly nature of being easily startled. (It’s the bane of my existence really – something my family takes advantage of all the time, to my dismay.) I did manage to hold in my urges to fuss at the screen, or yelp when I jumped in the few places it happened. The temptation was there, however.

All the same, I didn't care that parts were predictable. Some elements of predictability feel comforting, in a way, when you're watching a scary movie. It makes deviations from the expected that much more jarring. 

 

Superhost proved to be excellent quality for a lower-budget film and held my attention well. I wasn’t tempted to fiddle with my phone once. The acting was on point, and they really capitalized on the location both with the house and landscape.
 
If you’re looking for a dark horror-comedy to warm you up for the spooky season ahead, Superhost would be a great pick. 

Rotten Tomatoes Critic Score – 84%
Rotten Tomatoes Audience Score – 65%
Metascore – None
Metacritic User Score – None
IMDB Score – 5.8/10
 
Trust the Dice: Selina’s Rating – 5/5
Trust the Dice: Cat’s Rating – 5/5
 
Trust-the-Dice’s Parental Advisory Rating: R
 
Movie Trailer: