Killer Countdown - 5ive Girls (2006)

Streaming Service: Amazon Prime Video
Movie Name/Year: 5ive Girls (2006)
Genre: Horror, Thriller
Length: 1h 35min
Rating: Unrated
Director: Warren P. Sonoda
Writer: Warren P. Sonoda
Actors: Ron Perlman, Jennifer Miller, Jordan Madley, Terra Vnesa, Barbara Mamabolo, Tasha May Currie, Amy Lalonde, Krysta Carter, James Kidnie
 
Blurb from IMDb: Five wayward teenage girls are sent to a reformatory and discover they possess unique powers to battle the ancient demon, Legion, which holds thrall over the sinister institution.
 

Selina's Point of View:
To say 5ive Girls was a disappointment would be an understatement.
 
If I'm honest, I wasn't expecting a masterpiece. I went into it as blind as possible, but looking for the right movies for our Killer Countdown, I definitely saw more about the films than I would have liked, including ratings and a few reviews.
 
One of the bad things about reviewing movies this old is that we're likely to hear other opinions before we write ours. I don't love that, and I worry it will influence what we think.
 
Still, I went into 5ive Girls as open-minded as possible. After all, Ron Perlman (Hellboy, Transformers: Rise of the Beasts, Sons of Anarchy) is in it. It couldn't be that bad… right?
 

I'm sorry to say it's rough. None of the acting was great – even Perlman's. There just wasn't enough material to work with. It was formulaic at best and an excuse to see women pretending to be naked teens at worst. There were plot holes everywhere – sometimes just unfinished ideas. For instance, the film insinuated that Perlman's character was a predator, but the story never really did anything with it, and the movie tried to redeem him instead.
 
It didn't work. It just felt like an unnecessary addition. Edginess, for edginess sake.
 
I added an extra point to my rating because I didn't entirely hate the ending. It wasn't great, but it had potential. A better writer and some better acting could have made that part decent.
 
Unfortunately, I don't think there was enough to the rest of the story for it to have been salvageable.
 

Cat's Point of View:
Okay, so I'm a sucker for anything with Ron Perlman in it. He's occupied an odd warm fuzzy place in my heart since I was little and watched Beauty and the Beast (1987-1990).
 
Not all his projects are slam-dunks, though. 5ive Girls fits squarely into that category.
 
If I were asked to describe this movie to someone, I'd call it an over-sexualized teen melodrama that tried hard to riff off The Craft (1996) but fell far short.
 

The story felt cobbled together, and bits of it were absolutely atrocious. There were a few interesting bits here and there but nothing of any significant substance. I had to attempt to watch 5ive Girls multiple times to get through it a single time without nodding off. I can't blame the movie for all of that, however. Chronic fatigue is always a factor for me, and I'm also still recovering from being sick. However, a good movie that invests in my attention would make it easier to fight against my narcoleptic tendencies. I had no hope here. There were too many loose ends and far too much cringe.
 
I also felt a bit of a disconnect with this entire premise as a former attendee of a parochial school – or, rather, a school run by the church. I didn't attend an all-girls school, mind you – but uniforms, weekly mandatory mass attendance, and catechism classes were all par for the course. I just had a hard time suspending disbelief in general.
 
If you don't put too much thought into it, I wouldn't go so far as to say that it's the worst thing I've ever seen. I'm sure there are plenty of people out there that quite enjoy 5ive Girls. I just wasn't one of them and would generally recommend a different selection if you want real chills and thrills for your spooky season.
 

Rotten Tomatoes Critic Score – None
Rotten Tomatoes Audience Score – 39%
Metascore – None
Metacritic User Score – None
IMDB Score – 4.4/10
 
Trust the Dice: Selina's Rating – 2/5
Trust the Dice: Cat's Rating – 2/5
 
Movie Trailer: 

Ominous October - Hocus Pocus 2 (2022)

Streaming Service: Disney +
Movie Name/Year: Hocus Pocus 2 (2022)
Genre: Comedy, Family, Fantasy
Length: 1h 43min
Rating: PG
Production/Distribution: Walt Disney Pictures, David Kirschner Productions, Disney+
Director: Anne Fletcher
Writer: Jen D’Angelo, David Kirschner, Blake Harris, Mick Garris
Actors: Bette Midler, Sarah Jessica Parker, Kathy Najimy, Whitney Peak, Belissa Escobedo, Lilia Buckingham, Froy Gutierrez, Sam Richardson, Doug Jones, Tony Hale, Taylor Henderson, Nina Kitchen, Juju Journey Brener
 
Blurb from IMDb: Two young women accidentally bring back the Sanderson Sisters to modern day Salem and must figure out how to stop the child-hungry witches from wreaking havoc on the world.
 

Selina’s Point of View:
I loved the original Hocus Pocus (1993). It’s a staple of my childhood. Hell, I watched NCIS (2003 -) simply because of Sean Murray’s (The Double, JAG, Spring Break Lawyer) involvement, at first. As a result, I was all in for this sequel.
 
There has been some good done with nostalgia sequels. Earlier this year we got Top Gun: Maverick (2022) which is the sequel to Top Gun (1986) which came out almost my entire lifetime ago. I’m not shy about how I feel about Maverick. It was better than the first, and nothing anyone says will convince me otherwise. It’s not the only decent nostalgia sequel, but it’s the best I can name off the top of my head.
 
I wasn’t expecting anything of that quality from Hocus Pocus 2. The original was meant to be a bit cheesy, after all. What I wanted was something that offered the same feel, with a new setting and story.
 
I got the new story. Which was not my favorite, but not the worst. That said, the setting felt almost completely the same while the overall feel was downgraded to something far below what the first flick offered. 

It’s as if the writer was trying to follow the recipe of Hocus Pocus so closely, that it didn’t matter what the content of the scenes were. For instance, we started with a flashback to 1653 that was completely unnecessary. I know that it was supposed to make the rest of the story hit harder. I think everything would have landed the same if the whole scene was removed.
 
As far as I’m concerned, that opening prologue was there just to pad the runtime.
 
Hocus Pocus 2 failed to capitalize on the nostalgia aspect. There were easter eggs and moment that reoccurred in almost the exact same way as they did in its predecessor, and yet none of it carried the same weight. In fact, I’d go so far as to say that it doesn’t feel like a movie at all. It felt like a long intro to a TV series.
 
I was disappointed.
 
Even expecting some form of sequelitis, I was still let down. It’d be impressive if it wasn’t so sad.
 

Cat’s Point of View:
Hocus Pocus (1993) has long been one of my favorite go-to Halloween movies. I tend to watch it nearly every year since it was originally released. Oh, the joy of bouncing around and chanting “amok, amok, amok” in time with the screen. Just thinking about it tends to bring a silly smile to my face.
 
When I heard that Disney was planning a sequel and the original cast was returning, I began to fervently pray and hope that development hell did not claim the project. Sometimes wishing upon that proverbial Disney star does result in a dream come true – because, after all, here we are discussing Hocus Pocus 2.
 
Of course, I have to give Bette Midler (The Stepford Wives, The Politician, The Addams Family 2) much thanks, as it’s said that she practically pestered the studio on a regular basis after she realized how much the original film was adored by fans. I was overjoyed that Sarah Jessica Parker (All Roads Lead to Rome, Here and Now, And Just Like That...) and Kathy Najimy (Descendants, Veep, Single All the Way) were on board to also reprise their roles. It wouldn’t be the same without them. I had zero plans to watch any sort of reboot, remake, or sequel that didn’t somehow involve them or have their specific sign-off. I was also happy that Doug Jones (The Strain, The Shape of Water, Star Trek: Discovery) came back to reprise his role, as well.
 
Sequels are tricky enough as it is, and generally tank more frequently when all regard for the original is thrown out the window. Thankfully, Hocus Pocus 2 did not fall into that trap. In fact, there are many little Easter Egg moments sprinkled throughout that are direct homages to the original Hocus Pocus. A lot of care and thought was put into all the details within this picture.
 
It’s hard to ignore the fact that so much time has passed since the original story took place. I really enjoyed how this new chapter incorporated updated elements – from the transportation choices of the witch sisters to some of the locations utilized. (I don’t want to give away too, much!)
 

In addition to bringing the Hocus Pocus-verse into this new century, the production even set up an opportunity for torch-passing that I’m not even mad at. Whitney Peak (Molly's Game, Chilling Adventures of Sabrina, Home Before Dark) was a great choice for leading the young trio of girls faced with taking down the Sanderson Sisters.
 
Aside from all of that, I was happy to get a bit more background information about the Sandersons. As with most Disney family movies, there’s a wholesome message or lesson in the subtext of Hocus Pocus 2. Learning the characters’ motivations and how they found their witchy path really helped drive that home. I watched with my daughter, and she was quick to grab onto the concept – and let me tell you, I got a bit misty about it.
 
Sam Richardson (Superintelligence, Werewolves Within, Senior Year) was also a fun addition to the production. He played my favorite supporting character in The Tomorrow War (2021) and was responsible for probably my favorite scene in that movie. I’ve enjoyed just about everything I’ve seen him in – and I am looking forward to more projects of his in the future. The explanation of how he tied into the Hocus Pocus story was probably the weakest plot point within the whole story – but, frankly, I didn’t care. I just shrugged it off. I’m thinking most fans will, too.
 
The Mouse House had a bit of a stroke of genius by releasing Hocus Pocus 2 at the end of September. We have the whole month of October to enjoy it before this Halloween rolls around. I can tell you we’ll probably watch this again more than once before the spooky season is over.
 
If you had fun with the original Hocus Pocus, this sequel will likely also be a magical experience.
 

Rotten Tomatoes Critic Score – 63%
Rotten Tomatoes Audience Score – 54%
Metascore – 55%
Metacritic User Score - 4.4
IMDB Score – 6.2/10
 
Trust the Dice: Selina’s Rating – 2/5
Trust the Dice: Cat’s Rating – 4.5/5
 
P.S. There’s a during credit and after credit scene.
 
Movie Trailer:

Hellbender (2022)

Streaming Service: Shudder
Movie Name/Year: Hellbender (2022)
Genre: Horror
Length: 86 minutes
Rating: Unrated
Production/Distribution: Wonder Wheel Productions, Kinologistika, MiMedia, Shudder, Vivarto
Directors: Toby Poser, Zelda Adams, John Adams
Writers: Toby Poser, Zelda Adams, John Adams
Actors: Toby Poser, Zelda Adams, John Adams, Judy Rosen, Khenzom, Lulu Adams, Rinzin Thonden, Rob Figueroa, Shawn Wilson, Tess McKeegan
 
Shudder Blurb: 16-year-old Izzy leads an isolated life on a lonely mountaintop. All she's learned is from her protective mom and the wilderness that swallows them. Izzy dreams of a live gig, but her mother thinks she's too sick and mustn't be around others. Questioning her illness and starved for companionship, Izzy sneaks down the mountain where she befriends brazen Amber. Izzy is in heaven until a cruel drinking game with a live worm unleashes a new kind of hunger.

 
Cat’s Point of View:
I was intrigued by the trailer for Hellbender leading up to our Top 20 list for February. Unfortunately, it had stiff competition and there were a few red flags that allowed other productions to edge this one out of my final list.
 
Even so, I was excited that we would get a chance to screen Hellbender and, perhaps, see for ourselves whether or not our concern was warranted.
 
I wish I could say that I had a definitive answer for you. Alas, I do not.

 
Hellbender struck me as one of those indie films that filled a niche. If you could find a way to relate to the characters, you might take away much more from the experience. Though, in hindsight, it’s possible that many of us can relate all too well with the isolation of the main character – considering the pandemic.
 
This coming-of-age tale struck another chord with me. In addition to the general physical isolation of the mother and daughter duo, the emotional toll of their hermit-like lifestyle was fairly palpable. I couldn’t really blame the daughter for her curiosity that sparked the pivotal events of the plot. Even if it’s a bit hard to stomach her methods. It felt like fate played its hand to inevitability.

 
The Hellbender mythos created within this production’s world was interesting. While some aspects of the supernatural within the story were a little strange and disjointed, it felt like I was given a decent understanding of ‘how things work’ without anyone having to monologue about it. Information dropped through organic revelations.
 
There was a bonus that Hellbender was stacked with some pretty interesting music. I was really digging the groove.
 
The little disjointed bits aside, I rather enjoyed Hellbender. It was a great example of indie horror and just showed how far it’s possible to take a family passion project. 

Hellbender premiers on Shudder Thursday, February 24th.

Rotten Tomatoes Critic Score – 100%
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 – 3/5
 
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:

Ominous October - Demigod (2021)

Movie Name/Year: Demigod (2021)
Genre: Horror
Length: 95 minutes
Rating: Unrated
Production/Distribution: Artist Vodka Films, Historia Films, Gravitas Ventures
Director: Miles Doleac
Writer: Miles Doleac, Michael Donovan Horn
Actors: Rachel Nichols, Yohance Myles, Miles Doleac, Lindsay Anne Williams, Elena Sanchez, Rachel Ryals, Sarah Fisher, Christian Stokes, Chukwuma Onwuchekwa, Manon Pages, Tatiana Piper, Sherri Eakin, Mike Mayhall, Jeremy London, Wesley O’Mary
 
Blurb from IMDb: Upon the death of her grandfather, a woman and her husband return to her birthplace in Germany's Black Forest, only to find a terrifying secret awaits them.
 

Selina’s Point of View:
Demigod had a lot more story to it than I thought it would.
 
It started off super basic. Take any cabin in the woods movie that features a couple instead of teens, and you have you have the first 10-15 minutes of this film. The only differences are that the creepy guy is a neighbor instead of a gas station attendant, and there’s a short prologue.
 
It gave off the impression that it was going to be a paint-by-numbers kind of horror flick.
 
I’ll admit, I was surprised that it went a different route.
 
By the end of the film, I didn’t hate the story. Still, I don’t think it was a movie I’ll ever return to.
 
My biggest problems were with the antagonists.
 

The witches felt stale and they weren’t very well acted. Never-the-less, I kept my hopes somewhat up because we had a demon – or some other creature – coming that had the chance to knock me out of the water.
 
Instead, I now know why many horror movies make the big-bad a mute. 
 
He wasn’t terrible visually, but then he started talking and all the horrific aura around him was replaced by half-hearted voice effects. Any semblance of malice, or other-worldly nature, was destroyed the moment the big-bad opened his mouth. The character was supposed to feel older-than-life and ethereally terrifying. Meanwhile he sounded like a high schooler imitating Batman.
 
If you’re interested in Demigod, it’s not the worst movie you could put on for Halloween, but it wasn’t for me.
 
See for yourself, today in theaters and on demand. Let us know what you think.
 

Rotten Tomatoes Critic Score – 63%
Rotten Tomatoes Audience Score – None
Metascore – None
Metacritic User Score – None
IMDB Score – 6.3/10
 
Trust the Dice: Selina’s Rating – 2/5
 
Trust-the-Dice’s Parental Advisory Rating: R
 
Movie Trailer:

Witches of Blackwood (2021)

Movie Name/Year: Witches of Blackwood (2021)
Genre: Thriller
Length: 78 minutes
Rating: Unrated
Director: Kate Whitbread
Writer: Darren Markey     
Actors: Cassandra Magrath, Kevin Hofbauer, Lee Mason, John Voce, Nicholas Denton, Susan Vasiljevic, Francesca Waters, Nikola Dubois, Maddy Vasiljevic, Gigi Vasiljevic
 
Blurb from IMDb: A supernatural thriller with a witchy theme, starring Cassandra Magrath

Selina’s Point of View:
Staying awake during Witches of Blackwood was one of the most difficult things I’ve ever had to do for this blog.
 
By a half hour in, nothing had happened. The story was so slow that I still hadn’t been made to care. In fact, the first scene that mattered to me, even a little, happened around the 40-minute mark. Worse than that, the scene was only about 3-minutes long.
 
Even near the end, when the climax should have picked everything up… it was so predictable that it just didn’t work. I remained underwhelmed.
 
The company that promoted this movie worked really hard to connect it to Wolf Creek (2005). In every advertisement it was stressed that Wolf Creek’s Cassandra Magrath (Ali’s Wedding, The Dustwalker, 36 Questions) was in this flick. The cult classic’s title even came before the name of this flick in the fliers. I get it. That was a great way to gain attention for Witches of Blackwood… but I think it hurt the film’s chances.
 

By advertising that way, it caused me to view Witches of Blackwood and Wolf Creek as part of the same category, and they couldn’t be further apart.
 
The way a movie is promoted matters. I’m not saying I would have suddenly fallen in love with it if it had been served to me differently, but I would have gone into it with different expectations that might have been easier to meet.
 
I was really looking forward to Witches of Blackwood, and I’m beyond disappointed.
 
I wouldn’t re-watch this film, but who knows? Maybe it’s just not for me. Maybe there’s someone out there who would appreciate this kind of super-slow mild thriller. If you think it might be for you, Witches of Blackwood will be available on DVD, and digitally, September 7.
  

Rotten Tomatoes Critic Score – None
Rotten Tomatoes Audience Score – None
Metascore – None
Metacritic User Score – None
IMDB Score – None
 
Trust the Dice: Selina’s Rating – 1.5/5
 
Trust-the-Dice’s Parental Advisory Rating: R
 
Movie Trailer:

The Call (2020)

Streaming Services: Shudder

Movie Name/Year: The Call (2020)
Genre: Horror, Thriller
Length: 97 minutes 
Rating: Unrated
Production/Distribution: Single Malt Productions, Appreciated Films, BondIt Media Capital, Kalispel Tribal Holdings, Buffalo 8 Productions, Cinedigm Entertainment Group, EuroVideo, Front Row Filmed Entertainment, Première TV Distribution
Director: Timothy Woodward Jr.
Writer:  Patrick Stibbs
Actors: Lin Shaye, Tobin Bell, Chester Rushing, Erin Sanders, Mike Manning, Sloane Morgan Siegel, Judd Lormand, Randy J. Goodwin
 
Blurb from IMDb: In the fall of 1987, a group of small-town friends must survive the night in the home of a sinister couple after a tragic accident brings them to the couple's door.

Selina’s Point of View:
The Call was not nearly as good as I hoped it would be.
 
When you see names like Lin Shaye and Tobin Bell starring in a horror flick together, it’s easy to expect magic. They’re both well-known for their horror careers. Putting them together should have been a winning combination.
 
Don’t get me wrong, they were both incredible. Shaye and Bell were just way too good for this movie. Any scene they were in, was heightened. When it was just the teens, though… it fell apart.
 
I had absolutely no sympathy for any of the protagonists. That’s a problem, because they experience some serious torture. It was essential to give a fuck. I didn’t.
 

If the entire story had been shown from Shaye’s character’s perspective – it would have been amazing. I would have loved to experience everything with her at the front. It would have put her and Bell right in the heart of every scene, and the other characters would be the set dressing they already were – but it would have been acceptable.
 
I will say, there were a few good scares. Nothing really blew me out of the water, and there were more plot holes than I can possibly sum up in a single article – but it wasn’t painful to watch. It was what it was – which was mediocre.
 
If you want to watch The Call, and see for yourself, it will arrive on Shudder, July 15.
 

Cat’s Point of View:

For those wanting to watch The Call, I have two initial suggestions for you. First, don’t sit too close to the screen if you have an issue with motion sickness. There’s a bit of shaky-cam going on periodically. It wasn’t the jolting found-footage variety, but everything bobbed and weaved a lot. Secondly, I would recommend not listening to The Call through headphones – so much screaming. I had to double-check that my ears weren’t bleeding by the time the credits rolled. Maybe I’m exaggerating a little but yikes all the same.
 
What it all boils down to is that I honestly don’t know if I liked The Call or not.
 
There were many spooky and mind-bending elements to appreciate within the movie. Several of the jump-scares got me for sure. I appreciated the late ‘80s nostalgia, and I was getting the vibe that there was some sort of homage to A Nightmare on Elm Street (1984) put in a blender with Saw (2004). I’m a fan of both franchises and respected the attempt. I’m just not sure it worked.
 

When you have horror powerhouses such as Lin Shaye (Ouija: Origin of Evil, Gothic Harvest, Penny Dreadful: City of Angels) and Tobin Bell (The Flash, The Sandman, Gates of Darkness) involved with a production, it sets certain expectations. It might be a bit unrealistic and somewhat akin to judging a book by its cover, but I can’t help it. I was excited to see The Call based on their involvement and the trailer.
 
Unfortunately, the story felt a bit disjointed. The Call had a strange and slow start that felt awkward at times. When the supernatural shenanigans began, things were definitely picking up steam in the thrills department. I still managed to be a bit underwhelmed. There was a moment in one of the carnival scenes that an extra walking through took me completely out of the story for a moment. Their over-acting was so cloying that I sat surprised for a moment that the segment hadn’t hit the cutting room floor during editing.

Not to be punny by making a Jigsaw (2017) reference – but it felt like some of the pieces of this particular puzzle that made up The Call were missing when someone put it together. It seemed like a few pieces snuck in that belonged to a different picture and were crammed in anyway.
 
I will admit that I’ve been running on fumes in the energy department lately. Maybe that became a factor in my enjoyment – or lack thereof – here. I’d be interested in hearing what others think about The Call. Check it out on Shudder and let us know.

Rotten Tomatoes Critic Score – 53%
Rotten Tomatoes Audience Score – 72%
Metascore – None
Metacritic User Score – None
IMDB Score – 4.1/10
 
Trust the Dice: Selina’s Rating – 2.5/5
Trust the Dice: Cat’s Rating – 2.5/5
 
Trust-the-Dice’s Parental Advisory Rating: R
 
Movie Trailer:

The Queen of Black Magic (2021)

Streaming Services: Shudder
Movie Name/Year: The Queen of Black Magic (2021)
Genre: Horror, Mystery, Thriller
Length: 99 minutes
Rating: NR
Production/Distribution: Rapi Films, SkyMedia, Screenplay Films, Cathay-Keris Films, Garage Play, Golden Screen Cinemas, MM2 Entertainment, GoPlay
Director: Kimo Stamboel
Writer: Joko Anwar
Actors: Ario Bayu, Hannah Al Rashid, Adhisty Zara, Muzakki Ramdhan, Ari Irham, Ade Firman Hakim, Sheila Dara Aisha, Tanta Ginting, Miller Khan, Imelda Therinne, Salvita Decorte, Giulio Parengkuan, Shenina Cinnamon, Yayu A.W. Unru, Ruth Marini, Gisellma Firmansyah, Putri Ayudya, Farell Akbar, Chacha, Khayla Maharani, Akbar Muhammad, Retno Nono, Trizki Nabil Rahman, Nathan Arsheva Syarif, Callystha Zahra Syaumi
 
Blurb from IMDb: Families were terrorized at the orphanage. Someone wants them dead, apparently with black magic that is very deadly. She has a grudge and she was also born because of the sins of the orphans who formed her into the Queen of Black Magic.
 

Selina’s Point of View:
If there is a better horror movie than The Queen of Black Magic this year, I will be shocked.
 
After the first scene, I felt a little underwhelmed. It utilized a trope-y scare that is way too overdone for my liking – but they put a spin on it that kept me from tuning out immediately.
 
That was the only time in the film where I almost checked out.
 
Throughout the rest, I was glued to the screen. There were very few of the typical jump scares that we see in western horrors. Maybe that’s why everything felt fresh.
 
That’s one of the reasons I really love watching foreign horror flicks. With the difference in cultures, there’s never any real feeling of safety. The norms in media are different, so no character feels like they won’t get affected by the big bad.
 

Most of the time, I tend to lean more toward Korean films, but I just learned it might be time to look into Indonesia as well.
 
The Queen of Black Magic is either a remake, or a reboot, of Ratu Ilmu Hitam (1981). I’ve never seen the original, so I don’t know which is it. This flick made me want to see it, though.
 
Here’s the thing, I don’t want to watch this one again. It absolutely terrified me.
 
I’m no chicken. I have watched some serious horror films. Shudder is one of my ‘must have’ streaming services. My husband just lost his job, and we canceled 90% of our services in order to preserve our money. Shudder was one of the ones we kept. That’s how much I love horror.
 
I’ve sat quietly while watching movies that fall into the ‘torture porn’ category. I’ve let out inappropriate laugher while watching just about any film involving gruesome deaths. This one, however, had me covering my eyes and shrieking and one point.
 

A neighbor knocked on my door to check on me, and it took about a half hour before my adrenaline subsided enough for me to start writing.
 
Granted, a lot of that probably has to do with my insane phobia of centipedes… but even if that’s the case, a lot of the scenes were still devastatingly horrific. In fact, I’d say this film had the most gruesome death scenes of any flick I’ve seen that didn’t include torture porn.
 
If you’re a horror fanatic, you have to see this one. At least once.
 
It was a masterpiece.
 
The Queen of Black Magic will be available on Shudder this Thursday, January 28th.
 

Rotten Tomatoes Critic Score – 80%
Rotten Tomatoes Audience Score – None
Metascore – None
Metacritic User Score – None
IMDB Score – 6.7/10
 
Trust the Dice: Selina’s Rating – 5/5
 
Trust the Dice Parental Advisory Rating: R
 
Movie Trailer:

Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone (2001)

Number Rolled: 3

Movie Name/Year: Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone (2001)

Genre: Children & Family Movie

Length: 152 minutes

Rating: PG

Director: Chris Columbus

Writer: J.K. Rowling, Steve Kolves

Actors: Daniel Radcliffe, Rupert Grint, Emma Watson, Richard Harris, Maggie Smith, Alan Rickman, Ian Hart, Robbie Coltrane, Richard Griffiths, Fiona Shaw, John Cleese, David Bradley, Warwick Davis, Tom Felton, John Hurt, Sean Biggerstaff, Harry Melling, Oliver Phelps, James Phelps, Matthew Lewis, Chris Rankin, Richard Bremmer, Julie Walters, Bonnie Wright, Zoe Wanamaker

Harry Potter is one of those movies I can’t just look at alone. The book has way too much to do with it for me. I love the story. I read every book. Showed up at Barnes and Noble at 6am for their release – in costume. Showed up to many of the midnight showings of the movie, also in costume or at least carrying a wand or snacking on Bertie Botts Every Flavor Beans (yes, they do have vomit flavor and yes it does taste like vomit).

It took a lot for me to put these movies on my list to begin with, because they are such modern classics. However, I have no problem stating my opinion of them… loudly.

I feel it’s blatantly obvious that Chris Columbus is/was a fan of the series. He stuck as close to the book as he could while still finding ways to make it more capturing to eye of Hollywood. The actors and actresses they chose were perfect. Fitting the characters straight down to the physical descriptions and minor quirks. I can’t imagine anyone else but Daniel Radcliffe as Harry Potter, Rupert Grint as Ron Weasley and Emma Watson as Hermione Granger. I’m already dreading the eventual reboot of it. Let’s face it, there was too much money made for it not to be rebooted later on. Let me just shake my head now and get it over with.

Overall Opinion – 4.5/5

The Craft (1996)

Number Rolled: 68

Movie Name/Year: The Craft (1996)

Genre: Teen Scream, Supernatural Horror, Horror

Length: 100 minutes

Rating: R

Director: Andrew Fleming

Writer: Peter Filardi, Andrew Fleming

Actors: Robin Tunney, Fairuza Balk, Neve Campbell, Rachel True, Christine Taylor, Skeet Ulrich, Assumpta Serna, Cliff De Young, Breckin Meyer, Nathaniel Marston, Helen Shaver, Jeanine Jackson, Brenda Strong

I remember loving this movie when it came out. I was in Junior High School, I hated just about everyone and everything and I felt like I had nowhere to fit in. So when this movie came out, I clung to it like a security blanket. I didn’t know of anyone at my age, at that time, who didn’t at least like the movie a bit. I understand the basic psychology behind it, and watching it again, now, it still gives me the warm and fuzzies as my first horror movie – but I saw it in a different light this time.

Considering the time frame of when the movie came out, the script and plot is actually pretty original (by our time, not so much, but keep in mind this move was made over a decade ago). Along with that, Fairuza Balk plays insanity like no one else possibly can. I’d love to be able to say the rest of this review goes down this same road, but I can’t.

Neve Campbell has a couple of believable moments, but otherwise wound up completely overshadowed (like Rachel True) by just about anyone in the cast. Even people who only see minor screen time like Skeet Ulrich or Brenda Strong. Robin Tunney, the lead in this particular movie, was horrible. The start of the movie comes in, she seems to be a strong actress and then it’s like she got bored or distracted or something because she lost it. Then the last three minutes of the movie come along and she’s strong again. I don’t know what happened to that strength. Maybe she’s just not cut out for horror flicks.

Regardless of the acting snafus, I still believe this is a movie worth seeing at least once.

Overall Opinion – 3/5