Desert_Mistress Reviews

Mid-Century (2022)

Cool idea but horrible writing and execution.

[3/10 · 11 March 2023]

The first five minutes were the best. It had a great setup, amazing premise and potentially a cool idea, especially with reverse gender roles. Then, it just got goofy, and not in a good way. The writing is horrible, the pacing is off, you don't know who the main protagonist is and there aren't any jump scares. The scenes that were meant to be scary weren't. The mythology they're trying to build doesn't make sense. They use Latin folklore but Germanic runes as well? Maybe a different director could have salvaged it. It doesn't feel authentic at all. Did the pandemic really wipe out good talent and gave rise to incompetent writers and directors?

Hellraiser (2022)

Nothing new. Too bad.

[5/10 · 31 October 2022]

Hellraiser (2022) had potential. The first five minutes of the movie were the best. The Cenobites look cool and I really enjoyed learning more about the lore. But the characters were so unlikable, especially the main protagonist. I did not feel sorry for them at all and that's not a good thing. If I have to watch another strung out East Coast Gen Z struggling with drug addiction as a lead character, I'm going to skip. The casting choices really hurt the film because, not surprising, includes many of Hollywood's kids. Extremely disappointed. Instead, they should have focused more on a likeable character who goes through a traumatic experience and saves the day. There was nothing redeemable about the main character.

Run Sweetheart Run (2020)

The lead should have been Latina.

[6/10 · 31 October 2022]

The film had so much potential but it didn't commit enough to the lore it was trying to create. The premise of a blood-smelling demon that kills women for the sake of balance and mankind was intriguing. I also loved the idea of placing women of color in empowering roles in order to preserve the Matriarch. As a native Angelino, the only problem I had with this movie is that it did a poor job showing LA the way I know it and that includes not putting a Latina woman as a lead. It tried to do a lot which made it hard to follow. This film could have potentially explored a 2000s BLADE-like universe or focused more on the psychological trauma like Night Shiamalan's SPLIT. It was hard feeling sorry for the main character when we're so focused on the extraordinary creature rather than the emotional impact it had on the character. The fight over the 3rd wall was cool but distracting as well. The story could have been more simple and focused on the trauma or complex but with the lore introduced in the beginning of the film. Commit to one or the other. Overall, I believe it's a step forward that attempts to tell authentic stories about fears women face every day. This role would have been perfect for an LA-based Latina lead.

Interview with the Vampire (2022– )

Avid fan approves, better than the 1994 movie.

[8/10 · 12 October 2022]

This is surprisingly good! As a long-time Anne Rice fan, I don't understand the hate it's getting. Yes, it takes place at a different time but there are some plot points and character development that actually stay true to the original story, more so than the Neil Gordon's 1994 movie. For example, Louis is distraught not because his wife died at childbirth but because his bother fell off a balcony trying to speak to God. People need to get past this pretentious "purist" mentality and embrace this magnificent remake of the Vampire Chronicles. Now streaming on Shudder #AnneRice #interviewwiththevampire #vampirechronicles.

Metal Lords (2022)

Done before but still fun to watch! 🤘🏽

[6/10 · 15 May 2022]

Does this not remind you of New Zealand's Jason Lei Howden's Deathgasm (2015)? Also, tired of the Manic Pixie Dream Girl trope but fun to watch, nonetheless.

Malignant (I) (2021)

Loved it but doesn't it look like Malignant (2013)?

[7/10 · 15 September 2021]

At first, I couldn't get into the bad acting and 90s horror vibe, but after forcing us into disbelief, you couldn't help but keep going. Loved everything about it but doesn't it look like Malignant (2013)? It's hard to believe Wan wasn't inspired by the 2013 version when the villain's costume is exactly the same and the weapon of choice is held like the crowbar in that movie. In any case, the story may be original but the visuals aren't which is why I give it a lower score.

Phantom Thread (2017)

See thing before. Nothing new and anti-feminist.

[5/10 · 17 January 2021]

A rather ambitious film, this story attempts to apologize for a man's ambition who's committed to his craft at the cost of his humanity, sanity and the people around him. That it takes a woman such as Alma to feed and nourish his soul both literally and figuratively for him to remain functional, sane and human. In Spanish, the name Alma translates to "soul" as in one's soul or my soul such as "la alma de uno" or "mi alma". Most commonly derived from the Latin word almus which has various meanings such as nourishing, kind, or fostering, often seen in phrases like alma mater which translates to "nourishing mother." As a feminist, I believe it's a message that's been perpetuated repeatedly by patriarchal society knowing full well that a man who would reciprocate the same attention, care, and affection for a strong woman would not be as highly praised. A more realistic take of this story would be Emma Thompson's magnificent screenplay for Effie Gray (2014) starring Dakota Fanning. This film fully discloses the irreversible damage and destruction an ambitious man leaves on a woman. Therefore, I give this film a 5 star rating for it's unrealistic premise, anti-feminist attitude and tone deafness towards women.

The Assistant (III) (2019)

If you thought it was boring, you missed the point!

[10/10 · 1 May 2020]

I normally don't write a movie review but seeing how many people gave this film a negative view, I thought I'd share my reaction.

As a young woman who's worked in the entertainment industry as an assistant, I could see my 20's in a nutshell. This story is the most honest, heart-wrenching and subtle movie I've seen in a long time. Everything the main protagonist Jane goes through, everything she was told, everything she endured, I personally went through at least once in my life.

If you thought this movie was boring, you completely missed the message. Just keep an open mind and give this beautifully made movie a chance.