Kimsy1724 Reviews

The Presence (2010)

Ok story line but definitely not a horror and not enough character development

[5/10 · 16 May 2024]

So this film has a lot of negative reviews and having watched it I can understand why. I think it is largely due to the fact that this film is marketed as a "horror film" but doesn't really follow any typical horror ideas. To me this film at no point was really scary and was more of a spiritual film and I think it's low rating is because it's misold to the viewer.

Horror enthusiasts like myself watch horror films because they're scary and we want to be scared. We don't really want to think, we don't want to have empathy or feel sorry, we just want a cheap scare and a thrill and this film doesn't offer any of that because it's really categorised into the wrong genre.

I don't really know how I would categorise this film if I'm honest with you. Putting it bluntly this film follows the main character who is alive and seeking a break away from the trauma of her life because she was abused by our father as a child. However, it also follows the storyline of a ghost who seems to be trapped in the cabin with her. He seems to spend a lot of his spare time sitting or standing while staring angrily into the distance or staring at her. One morning she even wakes up and he's lying next to her in bed. Without any background to this character, you don't know whether he is a sinister entity or if he loves her because she has lived there a long time or fact that they could've potentially had some relationship in the past. Really not enough is explained to help you understand the plight of any of the characters in the film. Without that explanation, you lose interest.

The Man in Black ghost, I couldn't work out whether he was just another ghost who enjoyed scaring people to get in with the devil or whether he was a representation of the Devil himself. I felt at one point as the man in black was a representation of the Devil and the angelic ghost at the end was a representation of God and that the ghost was being tested, to see whether he would spend eternity in hell or heaven. However once again there really is not enough explanation to get a sense of what's going on so it's hard to become invested or to really care about the outcome.

I actually thought it was really well written, I liked the idea behind the film but there were times where there was just not enough effort put into the storyline and there was no explanation and without, an understanding of the characters you're watching for a film like this that is thought-provoking, it's very hard to develop an interest.

Also one bit that still bothers me now is the birds that flew into the outhouse. There really was no explanation for this and I couldn't tell whether it was a symbolism thing, whether the ghost had the power to influence the birds to fly into the outhouse just to scare her... I found it slightly unclear as to the point of that.

Overall, I think it was a really good idea but needed better execution, a bit more background to the characters you're following so that you can actually have some kind of thought process in regards to the journey in the film in the outcome .

24 Hours in Tesco (2023 TV Special)

Not a being the scenes so much as a trumpet blowing expose

[4/10 · 10 May 2024]

Well this programme was definitely a bust. I was actually really interested to watch it because I thought it was going to be a genuine insight into how the store actually worked like a "behind the scenes". I enjoy watching programs like "inside the factory" to see the magic behind how things happen and how processes work so I thought this program was going to be the same.

Very quickly I realised that this program was nothing more than one big advert for how amazing Tesco think they are. There really was little to no actual insight or information about Tesco and how it works. The only thing I found interesting was how they very first came about and how they came up with the name.

Tesco definitely took this opportunity to attack Aldi as often as they could. In the first 10 minutes of the program they had mentioned them 4/5 times and it felt like a desperate attempt to prove that they were every bit as good. To me this really just advertises that Aldi is a major threat to their business model because all the supermarkets now pride themselves on making sure they are "Aldi matched". If that doesn't highlight how successful a supermarket is that everyone's clamouring to say that they can match your prices, I don't know what is.

The "cookie tasting" was ridiculous because the Aldi cookies had positive responses from everybody, the Tesco cookies had compliments but the last one (can't remember if it was Waitrose) had really negative feedback but yet when the results came in surprisingly Tesco came out on top and Aldi came out on the bottom? That didn't match the results of what people said.

The beans tasting was another ridiculous point. Tesco clearly came last in comments about their baked beans. The people tasting them said that they were soft, without any texture or taste and they came out at the bottom but then the argument was that they were cheaper than Heinz and that was a good selling point. We all know that a stores own version is going to be cheaper. Heinz have spent years perfecting baked beans and it's one thing that they are known for so quite honestly, you would pay more for the brand name and the expertise of the product. It seems like a really really pathetic attempt to argue that their product was cheaper and therefore that didn't matter that it didn't taste as good and you were getting a tin of soggy pulp.

The last one when they tested macaroni cheese ready meals was just ridiculous. Some eclectic singleton who is all too familiar at ordering ready meals because apparently being single means you don't cook and macaroni cheese takes an absolute age to make? I'm no cook but a cheese sauce takes minutes to make while boil some pasta and then mix it all together and bake in the oven for 20 minutes. This weirdo proceeded to eat one portion sitting on her sofa, one portion lying in bed in her dressing gown and then weirdly the last portion was eaten in a ridiculously awkward pose lying in the bath whilst trying to cover her modesty with the plate. She was all but completely lying flat trying to stuff macaroni cheese down her throat. Once again Tesco came out on top which I'm sorry to say against Marks & Spencer's, is absolute rubbish. Having tried two of the ones featured, I can guarantee the Tesco's one is definitely not as it was portrayed in this documentary.

It's to be honest the entire thing of taste testing their products against other brands just felt like a constant last ditch attempt to prove that their products were the best. It just seemed cringeworthy.

The segment on the Clubcard was weird because they made out like it was such a good thing and I myself have a Clubcard which I scan when I visit my local Tesco but they did themselves the disservice by showing that realistically you don't actually save much money using the special "Clubcard holder prices" and these are largely affected by which brand a store is working with and that's the same across any store when they have products on offer. Really all they've highlighted is that their club card is used as a way to get data on you, which at the end of the day we all know that. For me personally I would much rather, have Nectar points from Sainsbury's which I can use to pay for my Christmas shop at the end of the year. They even had some food blogger go in and do her normal shop and once again they price matched themselves against Aldi but I noticed that they didn't compare all products; only sang about the ones that actually came out cheaper than Aldi which is laughable. In the end with the Clubcard prices, they still only just matched Aldi on a shop and if you don't have a Clubcard, it would've cost you £5 more than Aldi.

At the end of the day there is a supermarket for everyone and I myself enjoy visiting numerous different supermarkets for different stuff. Mainly I shop at Sainsbury's because I have one local to me and I like the products they offer but I like going to Aldi to see the different ranges that they have, I like looking at the Continental foods that I can find in Lidl and Tesco is the only place that does a dairy free and gluten-free porridge pot which I buy in droves to eat for breakfast every day. In a world where everybody needs to buy food and drink, there really is enough customers for everyone so this program really didn't provide anything other than a cheap effort at trying to self promote.

Had this program actually been an insight into how the store worked from choosing stock lines to how they manage the amount of stock to how they stack the shelves... I would've been interested to have that insight but this just felt like a program where everybody had been paid to say that Tesco was the best. Even when they were doing blind taste tests, if Tesco didn't come out on top there was some stupid reason why they didn't come out on top.

Where I live there isn't a large Tesco so I don't see even 1/3 of all the products that the massive Cheshunt store offered. I have to travel over 30 minutes to get to a store that holds clothing ranges or household ranges so perhaps if I had a bigger one on my doorstep, I'd feel more positive. I don't think they're a bad supermarket and I think they have some really nice products but this program just really put me off of them quite honestly because it wasn't 24 hours in Tesco's. It was an hour on why Tesco thinks they're great and that they can beat Aldi.

Faithfully Yours (2022)

Good strong film and acting, but the ending leaves a lot to be desired

[8/10 · 23 May 2023]

So the best way to look at this film is two ways; the film is a whole and the ending.

As a whole, I thought the film was very strong. I thought all of the actors were very good and despite the fact that it was dubbed, you were still able to pick up the emotion and the range of the actors. It always is difficult when it's being dubbed because sometimes the voices just don't match the characters that you're watching, but with this one it was all done very well, and I found myself forgetting that I was actually watching a dubbed film.

The setting, the characters, and the way the story was a slow burner really kept me engaged with watching the film and I found myself picking up my phone to watch it whenever I had five minutes on the school run or anywhere else to find out how it ended.

It was a film where everybody could be a suspect and everybody had a motive. The only person you had any confidence in was the lead character who you know was innocent.

There for me, there was some discrepancies on how a judge would choose to lie and withhold information, but given the nature of her and her friends trip was to hook up with men, whilst using each other is an alibi, it was evident at the beginning she was doing so to keep her friends reputation clear on the hope that she would be found. There were a few times when she went to the police and she was dismissed without any real explanation or reason and that's quite frustrating because I feel it reflects poorly at times on the police and also the way that she is dismissed almost without prejudice.

Throughout the film, it was always difficult to know who was the culprit and who was responsible, and that time everybody was a suspect.

The ending - this one I didn't find very satisfying.

The initial explanation at the ending was fair enough, but the twist really frustrated me, and it just felt so dissatisfying is an ending. You could contest that her husband deserved it for trying to arrange a hit, but it seems a bit excessive to me when you could just up and leave.

It's hard to go into it with more detail without giving away the storyline completely, but overall I found it interesting to watch and I do recommend it. Just be prepared that the ending might not be what you expect to see from the film.

The Weekend Away (2022)

Strong film but not sure about the ending

[7/10 · 23 May 2023]

This one was suggested to me on Netflix as "try something different". Wasn't sure how I was gonna feel about it because I'm never hugely fussed with the "who done it" genre, but I figured I'd give it a go because I wasn't paying for that film.

I must admit I did actually really enjoy it, and without giving the storyline away, I really did struggle to actually work out who it was the whole way through the film.

At points nearly every single person was a suspect, including the main character, and it did keep me guessing right until the end.

I'm not sure how satisfied I am with the conclusion of who the culprit was, but overall, I thought it was really well done. I thought the lead actor was very good and did a great job acting on her own for quite a lot of the time. It was a good film to kill 90 minutes and one that kept you guessing you thinking the whole time.

Alone (V) (2020)

It's watchable but I had some issues

[7/10 · 23 May 2023]

So this one I felt was a fairly good watch. I found it difficult to actually work how the storyline was going because it started off very much like a stalker/kidnapper thing, but that didn't last very long and then it turned into a survival film, and then all sorts of things were thrown into the mix.

There are certain points in the film where you want to scream at the screen. A woman in this day and age would not simply carry on driving without alerting someone. At one point she's on the phone to her mum, while the person is coming towards her and she doesn't tell her where she is or what's going on. For me if I bumped into the same person more than once (after they had effectively tried to run me off the road) I would go to the authorities. However, this woman doesn't and just keeps shrugging off the coincidences and thinking that she can just drive away from the problem. I found myself wanting to tear my hair out at times because of her stupidity.

It might be okay if you're watching an 80s horror, but in this day and age where Women are so much more aware of the dangers surrounding them, particularly a woman driving across country on her own... It frustrates the life out of me.

For me, it was hard to grasp the distance that she was travelling, but at points it was made to see that she was driving almost all day, so why it didn't set off alarm bells that this bloke was following her; tries to run her off the road first, waits overnight to tell her that he was sorry, then has randomly broken down on the road that she was passing and then she saw him at a truckstop... Why is this woman not phoning 911?

There was no real background to the killer either. There was no real understanding as to why he was doing what he was doing. I know that there isn't always a motive with killers like this but in a film, I sometimes like to get a bit more understanding behind his working. He had a wife and daughter at home but he had just travelled away to do what? To purposely target young women? Was he keeping her for SA purposes? Was it just a spur of the moment thing that he hadn't really planned? It just felt a bit disjointed in certain places.

Overall, I enjoyed watching the film and I did stick with it. Sometimes I find myself drifting from my phone or something else to entertain me with the film in the background, but it was suitably entertaining, a couple of areas where you're feeling super frustrated, but overall a good watch.

The Strays (2023)

Good characters in acting, but a seriously weak storyline, with a blunt ending

[4/10 · 3 March 2023]

Oh wow! I don't mean to be biased, but I really do find the Netflix Original films are just getting progressively worse and worse. There seems to be a real lack of a solid storyline with a beginning, middle and end and they are becoming almost legendary for simply finishing a film without any ending, conclusion, or sense. Ambiguous finish, but for me, I'm old-fashioned, and I like a film that has a decent storyline with the beginning, middle and end.

Credit where credit is due, the acting and actors were really good. All of the characters were played very well and very convincingly. I liked the idea of exploring how a parent abandoning a child can sometimes have a more adverse effect. Most carry on with their lives and heavy heart, but I'm sure there must be cases where people just can't come to terms with it and effectively "flip".

As soon as Neve began seeing people, I instantly knew it was going to be the children that she abandoned, and I thought when it was listed as a "slow burner" it would take most of the film for her to realise that, and come to terms with it, but she seems to work it all out pretty quickly.

It's evident that whilst her kids are looking just to start again, they seem to be very damaged by the effects of being left by their mum and growing up with an abusive father makes them a little bit unstable to say the least. This manifests in Kyle, particularly, wanting to exact revenge and punishment whilst Dionne at times seems conflicted between wanting to exact revenge and wanting to be part of the family.

I like the way the film was done whereby we first watch Cheryl/Neve and her story then jump back to Carl and Dionne and see how they linked into the previous story, and by the time it came to the final chapter of "family reunion" I was looking forward to seeing how it progressed. By this point, Carl and Dionne were definitely on the warpath for revenge at how they had been abandoned and treated and the intensity became more and more. Then just as it gets good, Cheryl pack her bags and leaves again?

Doing exactly the same thing that she had done at the beginning of the film. This is evidently where the title of "strays" come because she simply leaves her children and her new children every time they going gets too tough. It's understandable in the first situation slightly being that she was with an abusive husband who forced her into her second pregnancy, but with her second family? I'm afraid I just became totally lost. I thought perhaps her older children in there would be some kind of showdown, but they merely flash "the strays" on the screen, and that's how the film ends.

I was definitely left bitterly disappointed by this film and I don't recommend it.

I can normally find the good in most things I watch and a reason to watch them, but these were just horrendous, and I feel like I wasted my time watching it.

Possum (2018)

Vastly underrated! Creepy, unsettling and great acting

[9/10 · 28 November 2022]

This one has been sat on my radar for awhile, and I've toyed with whether to watch it or not. I do like psychological based films, but I really don't like it when they are ridiculously ambiguous at the end and you've no idea what's going on but curiosity got the better of me and I decided to give it a go.

Credit where credit is due, Sean Harris does a great job of playing the protagonist. You can really feel the pain, desperation and sheer depression of his character. He doesn't have a lot of characters to act against with the exception of his decrepit uncle (again expertly played by Alun Armstrong) so the onus really was on him to carry the film and help you feel exactly what he was feeling. That creepy, unsettled, hopeless, feeling that I love when I watch a horror film.

To me, it's like watching a classic seventies/80s English film. Rundown houses, misty, foggy days, rain, rundown council, estate areas... There's something so familiar with the depression and sadness of that setting which really adds to the film .

The possum puppet itself is laughable, but the clever placement and random appearances actually make it one of the creepiest things I've watched in awhile. I'm a huge fan of horror films, and I've seen all kinds of CGI, ghosts, monsters, contortionists, walking down the stairs, wrapped in plastic... It takes a lot to make me feel unnerved, but the simplicity of this creepy puppet With its horrendous hairy spider legs placed in random areas, or just a leg coming around the corner, it really builds the momentum in the film. You can really feel the desperation of the character as he tries to escape from this possum puppet. There's a bit in particular when he's running through abandoned buildings and he keeps just seeing it looking around the corner or a leg coming out, or its eyes through a gap in the door... When he holds the puppet itself, it's almost laughable how bad it is, but in that way, it makes it really really good and I found it unsettling.

I don't really want to go into the storyline because there's no way of doing so without giving away what happens in the film, but it is a really good watch. It's eerie, it's eccentric, it's weird and it's unsettling... Everything a good horror film should be.

The only reason I've marked it down is because I didn't like the ending because it was too quick. In any film, you watch, whatever the genre, you like an ending of some description. Whether it's an ending that they have won/succeeded or there is a sign of hope in the future, or even if the monster comes and gets them and they didn't make any difference, it's nice to have the film wrapped up in a certain way. Where is this film ends really abruptly. So much so that I actually missed that the ending that happened until the credits started running and that was a bit of a down point for me. There was no real clarification, there was still an answer questions as to why he was a disgrace to and what happened in the past and it let me just wanting a little bit more.

That being said the film itself is fantastic and I have to say I genuinely I'm glad that I tried watching this.

I definitely recommend watching it if you enjoy creepy, unsettling and slightly weird horror films.

The 5th Wave (2016)

Good ideas and acting a bit lacked a little something to make it original

[5/10 · 13 October 2022]

Hmm.. how do I best review this one?

So the idea was good. I do quite enjoy post apocalyptic films or films that follow some large natural event or alien/creature warfare so this one seems like it will be right up my alley.

I like the idea that the alien attack comes in different waves to slowly eradicate humanity off of the planet but a lot of the waves that they sent would also eradicate other life forms so I was unclear as to whether it was an extinction of everything on Earth or just humanity.

I quite happily enjoyed the film right up until the pivotal moment where you realise the twist in the film and from there on it just lost me. I suppose it is the natural progression of any of these films; somebody supposedly all on their own will eventually come across a police force or army that are fighting the resistance and they get drawn into warfare but for me I much prefer the survival side of things where you are feeling all the same emotions because you haven't seen what you're facing.

About halfway through I lost interest and jumped onto my phone. I think the film had a good idea but I think it lacked a little certain something towards the end which disappointed me.

The acting wasn't bad, the scenery wasn't bad and the effects were okay... Definitely not a blockbuster for something to pass a couple of hours.

The Midnight Club (2022)

Planned, boring... Good premise and love Mike Flanagan but this falls flat

[5/10 · 13 October 2022]

Wow... This one I have to say I have found quite difficult because it seems to get really good reviews but I just don't see where those reviews have come from.

When I saw the trailer, I thought the premise was really interesting and I thought that the setting would make for a really good horror series. I wasn't expecting anything 18+ and knew it would be more of a teen horror thing but that's fine with me as long as it's a good storyline with some spooky aspects.

Dividing it between real life and midnight club stories...

The stories that the club told were actually quite good and I enjoyed most of them. I liked how they were able to develop a quick story that was entertaining within the parameters of each episode and I enjoyed how the characters from The Club play different characters in the stories so that you could see their acting range and see them away from the terminal cancer patients that they played. Some of the stories were stretched over two or three episodes but I enjoyed them.

The story of the "real" people in the club was not so entertaining in my opinion. I actually found it rather boring at times and found myself struggling to stay interested in drifting onto my phone or other methods of entertainment. The secret backstory within the series never really came to anything and by the end of the series your left scratching your head seeing and wondering where else the story can really go.

There is no cure, there is no magic so where do we go in the second series... Watching the rest of the cast slowly die from their terminal cancer diagnosis?

The acting itself was good, I enjoyed the characters and particularly the character of Anya was played very well. It deals with some difficult topics of kids dying of cancer and that horrible fear they must feel so the acting was good but the storyline just felt a bit flat and I didn't really feel that anything was achieved over the lengthy 10 episodes that the series took to reach a disappointing conclusion.

Personally for me I won't be tuning into the next series.

Luckiest Girl Alive (2022)

Brilliant story and portrayal

[8/10 · 12 October 2022]

So this film kind of has to be reviewed in two parts because you follow current day storyline and in the past storyline.

Looking at the past storyline, Chiara Aurelia is absolutely outstanding in her performance as the young TiffAni. In quite a graphic and disturbing storyline, she really does play her character well and you really feel her pain and her sorrow.

In the current storyline, Mila Kunis plays a strong attempt for the re-envisaged Ani. Somebody who is struggling to be a different version of herself to please everybody without ever really taking the time to appreciate and address herself. She carries severe emotional trauma that everyone around her is either unaware of or expects her to hide and to step over like it doesn't matter and the film documents her battle in trying to present herself as somebody that she's not to please everyone else.

The film is definitely a captivating watch, I did find Mila Kunis a little more difficult to resonate with at times. Whether this is my prior knowledge of watching her in comedy films or not I don't know but I did at times find it difficult to understand what she was trying to portray.

However I thought the storyline was really good and her being able to obtain justice in her life was a very fitting end and hopefully a message out there for those who have suffered in the past to know that they are not alone and that they should be allowed to speak up.

Mr. Harrigan's Phone (2022)

Meh... pretty slow and uninspiring

[4/10 · 12 October 2022]

So this one is labelled as a horror but I think you have to stretch really far to see it as such. There's nothing scary, nothing supernatural nothing that will make you jump out of your seat... Just the implication that something in the afterlife is influencing the real world.

The story follows Craig, a young boy who is paid by the rich Mr Harrigan to read to him three times a week. Over the years they develop a good friendship and Craig continues to read to Mr Harrigan well into his late teens. It's a two-way relationship where both of them get something from it and they developed a good friendship despite Mr Harrigan's antisocial tendencies. When Craig wins $3000 on a scratchcard Mr Harrigan gift him, after talking away the majority for college, he buys Mr Harrigan a phone to bring him into the future, help him to connect and to give them a way to keep in contact.

When Mr Harrigan passes away suddenly, Craig is understandably distraught at losing his friend and at the funeral, sneaks his phone into the suit pocket. He finds out that Mr Harrigan left him a large sum of money to support his career and college tuition and leaves him a voicemail thanking him and expressing regret it having lost him. The next day he received a strange text message from Mr Harrigan which upsets him; believing him to have been buried alive but his father reassures him that he was given an autopsy as he died alone so there was no chance he was still alive and it was just a bug in the phone.

However, despite initially blaming it on a bug in the phone, it soon turns out that there is a slightly more sinister going on, Mr Harrigan is still very much receiving and responding...

I can see the basis of why this film has been labelled a horror and probably the fact that Stephen King has written it, lens heavily to automatically getting that label but I really don't consider this to be a horror film.

To me it actually lends itself more to being a cautionary tale of being too invested and connected in our phones quite honestly. I don't really see any other message from the film other than that.

It's not a film that I would watch again, the acting is good but I found myself so often getting distracted because it wasn't just a slow burner... It was a no burner at times. As much as I don't like it when it's all full on right at the beginning, there were just large gaps of quite boring dialogue and I found myself getting itchy trigger finger as to whether to put something else on.

I'm sure it probably reads better than it plays on the screen, I don't think it is a feature film were the story and I didn't really come away finding any of it memorable.

Monster (2022–2024)

Brilliant, uncomfortable, hard to watch... Evan Peters really shines

[10/10 · 12 October 2022]

I'm quite a big fan of crime documentaries and I've watched most of the ones available about the most prolific serial killers of the past. The only one I've never really read or seen much about is Jeffrey Dahmer so I went into this series knowing his name but not really knowing what his crimes were. I took the opportunity to google before watching to familiarise myself with his crimes and what happened to him and I also looked for a quick interview featuring Dahmer himself to see how he was as a person in terms of how we spoke and his mannerisms.

I've been a fan of Evan Peters ever since he was in the X-Men films. His transformation through the American Horror Story series was fantastic and he really can turn his hand to any kind of character. He can make you hate him, he can make you feel sorry for him... He really is quite a talent. Now there are obvious similarities between him and Dahmer in terms of looks and this was further Magnified by him having the same hairstyle and colour and the large framed glasses that Dahmer was but it wasn't only a physical aspect. He also has taken a lot of time to evidently study Dahmer and really got into how he carried himself, presented himself, his awkward and seemingly shy demeanour and even how his mouth moved when he spoke. There were times when I was watching this that I completely forgot I was actually watching an actor and it was like I was watching Dahmer himself.

By the end of the first episode I was hooked although it surprised me initially that there were 10 episodes because I didn't wanna watch anything that seemed to glorify Dahmer or his crimes. However after finishing the series I see why there were as many episodes is there was and they were actually quite important because they took the time to tell the story from those who were affected by Dahmers crimes instead Pudding focus on him and glorifying him.

Probably the most poignant episode for me was the story of Tony Hughes. This followed his diagnosis as deaf shortly after birth due to medication and followed his career dreams and aspirations which made the pain of him being killed all the Morrill. The series also took the time to look at the effect it had on those in the community, how people rallied after he was exposed, the trauma his next door neighbour went through in tirelessly trying to bring him to justice... It really took the time to explore all avenues without really focusing too much on the crimes. Yes they are included and yes they are graphic and horrible but they are important to the series and the storyline.

The only episode I struggled with was the last episode when Dahmer has been caught in charge for his crimes and in prison. Whilst initially appearing arrogant, he discovers God and wishes to be baptised. Just as he seems at peace with who he is and seemingly getting his head back on track, he was murdered by a fellow inmate that was disgusted by his actions and felt that he was a vessel for God's well. The problem with the episode was that although it was done really well, it ended up staring at feelings for me where I almost pity Dharma. I don't know whether I pity Danny as a person or whether I pitied Evan Peters version but I felt uncomfortable with the fact that I was feeling pity for such a prolific murderer. It really does make you question.

It really does also highlight the horrific racism, segregation and poor efforts of the police and raises serious questions as to why Dahmer was not given support he needed before and why it wasn't picked up. There was a real sense of white privilege afforded to Jeffrey. Whilst I don't think his crimes were particularly racially motivated, there was definite racial profiling on the sides of the police officers dealing with the case.

Aside from that it's a really good series. It's hard hitting and even though I'm a lover of guts and gore films, knowing this is based on what really happened and how people really suffered, it can be a bitter pill to swallow. However I think it's done very well without giving any clarification or attention to dharma but instead given the chance for his victims stories to be told and their lives remembered.

Evan Peters absolutely shines in this and I can only imagine how hard it was to dive into the psyche of such a troubled serial killer.

Disenchantment (2018–2023)

Great storyline and characters, really enjoying it so far

[9/10 · 12 October 2022]

So I am writing this review as I have just finished watching the end of the fourth season in September 2022. So this could be subject to change if any further series are made.

Disenchantment for me is a good bit of fun. Whilst I have never been a fan of the Simpsons, Futurama for me had a great appeal and I loved the fact that Matt Groening made more of an effort with the storyline of Futurama in terms of having more deep and meaningful episodes, character development, revelations and also rewarding loyal viewers by referencing points from the previous series. This is something that is massively left out with the Simpsons as none of the characters ever change, ever learn anything or ever grow as a person.

Disenchantment certainly follows the same formula as Futurama where the characters develop and become better people in relation to their experiences. Princess Tiabeanie is a brilliant character in my opinion and I love the fact that she is not your average princess. She's more interested in getting drunk, making memories with her friends and has no interest in being a squeaky clean, pretty princess. Together with Elfo and Luci, they have a wide range of adventures together and throughout the series develop a closer friendship group and really developers characters.

When I first started watching the series I thought it was just going to be lots of random adventures because living in a fairytale world, the world really is your oyster in terms of all the different mythical creatures and stories that could be created. So I was pleasantly surprised when I saw a real character development and storyline development happening. This alone has made the series very worthwhile for me watching and there are some very funny moments.

Criticism wise I have to say that the episodes have a very terrible habit of cutting out without really explaining points made in the story. There are several times where things happen and it's never revisited and your left wondering what the point of it was or how it ended. For me I find that frustrating because I enjoy a story that ties at all if it's loose ends and disenchantment doesn't do that. I've watched it up to the end of series 4 which was left as a ridiculous mid-season cliffhanger instead of bringing the series to a close so now we are now at the Netflix mercy as to whether they will renew for a new season.

Blonde (2022)

Great acting but terrible storyline

[4/10 · 12 October 2022]

So the best way to view this accurately is to break it down into two parts.

I in terms of acting, I thought that Ana de Armas did a fantastic job of portraying Marilyn. Yes there are certain similarities with her looks but her commitment towards capturing Marilyns body movements, facial expressions and mannerisms really brought the character to life. I thought she did a beautiful job of bringing to life a troubled, traumatised and misguided person to life and I believed every moment of her acting. At no point did anything feel over acted, false or forced. She bought a beautiful air and grace to the character of Marilyn Monroe and I would think that Marilyn would be very pleased with the portrayal of her. She bought Grace, class and timeless beauty to the character.

Now let's look at the storyline itself...

Not knowing much about Marilyn Monroe because she's not from my time period and therefore never having seen her films, TV sports or interviews. I rely only on iconic scenes and using the Internet to research her background in history. So I have to admit what I found differed greatly from what was portrayed in this film. While yes, Norma did have some sad points of her life; this film capitalises on making her nothing more than a victim. Somebody who didn't find herself attractive and had no idea the others found her that way. Somebody who was desperate to have a baby when it's well documented she several abortions because she had no interest in children. Somebody who wasn't aware of her sex appeal whereas the real Marilyn seemed very astute and knew exactly what appealed and how to play it to her advantage.

Watching degrading scenes such as her being forced to pleasure the president, a completely fantasised threesome relationship, the constant need for her breasts to be exposed and the over focus on her mental health always being unstable... I feel like it really took away from her as a person.

I greatly looked forward to this when I saw it advertised because I don't know much about Marilyn Monroe but there is no doubt that everybody knows her name and how iconic she was. I had always seen her to be somebody who was in control, confident, self assured and had men eating out of her hand. Someone who was able to play the cute, breathy voiced, naive blonde who didn't realise how attractive she was whilst actually being an extremely astute, clever and in control of herself woman. This film did nothing more than make a mockery of the character. Whilst the acting was fantastic this illusion that Norma floated through life with a breathy voice and not having a clue about the world was ridiculous.

If I'm reviewing the acting then I give it 9/10 The storyline itself I give 2/10.

I would've rather watched a film based on the actual events of her life instead of a fictionalised novel that created unnecessary and untrue aspects of her life and continues to exploit her troubled life.

I Am the Pretty Thing That Lives in the House (2016)

Good idea with lots of potential but falls drastically sure.Good idea with lots of potential but falls drastically short. No storyline, no character development & too dark

[4/10 · 26 September 2022]

Oh wow. I feel like maybe I've missed the subtlety of this film because it seems to have largely good reviews but I just didn't like it.

I have watched a fair few horror films in my time and a wide variety too; from in your face shock horrors to subtle slow burners which I hoped this one would be.

Firstly for me the setting was far too dark so any scenes that happened at night had me craning about and drawing all the curtains to see what was actually going on. If a film has to rely solely on removing 90% of the lighting to make its point, it's missing subtleties that would lend it more drama and mystery than simply taking away the light. Nothing ruins a horror film for me more than having to constantly rewind or go back to see what you've missed.

I thought the storyline had a good potential and I love the set up of somebody caring for an elderly lady who starts experiencing subtle signs of haunting. I think it's a really strong setting because you're relying on one actor to portray quite a detailed story rather than being confused with lots of additional extras. One person alone in an old, rundown house with an elderly resident suffering from dementia and seeing subtle signs of haunting is always a great setting for a film so I thought this would lend gravitas to the film. However it left me bitterly disappointed because there really was no character development for either the main protagonist or the antagonist.

There was a lot of potential that I feel was lost with this film and instead of being something great it was something distinctly average. Several times I found myself reaching for my phone or a magazine as I struggle to stick with the storyline.

Without any understanding of either the protagonist or the antagonist in this film, it was really hard to understand why either were in the film. The protagonist for me came across as very meek and shy and somebody that was maybe carrying past trauma but nothing about her background or reasoning is forever presented which made it hard to resonate with the character. The same with the antagonist Polly, apart from the fact you know that her husband killed her and boarded her in the wall there was no real reason, understanding or relevance. Why did her husband randomly attack her one day when she was walking around with a blindfold? There was a bit where she had a drop of blood on her finger... Was that to imply that he'd murdered someone else and she was killed because she found out. What happened to her husband? Why has she decided only now to go on a murderous rampage?

There was a part in the story where it was told that the house was built for a couple that were getting married. They never even moved into the house before they disappeared without a trace yet when we see Polly walking around in the house, you can see the house is furnished. So does that mean that Pauline and her husband were the original couple that supposedly "went missing" or were there people that went missing before them and if so why?

Polly cohabited with Iris for years and told her story so that it could be published into a book without ever inflicting any violence towards her but Lily moves in and all of a sudden Polly goes on a murderous rampage.

I'm sorry, I know other people like it because of the setting up because of the Gothic undertones but for me I feel that it was just a little bit lacklustre. I know horror films aren't exactly renowned for having the most in-depth storylines but this one for me was shockingly bad and numerous times had me reaching for my phone or a magazine because I just struggle to retain interest.

The Tinder Swindler (2022)

Well put together and interesting.

[9/10 · 26 September 2022]

Well I ignored this one when it first came out because it was one of those things that everybody was watching and then posting about. I'm never a fan of particularly trendy documentaries and similar so this one has been ignored by me for quite awhile.

It was quite well put together and I preferred it being condensed into a 1.5 hour film instead of a 10 episode series that really drags out every bit of information to try and make as much money as possible.

It tells the story of Simon Leviev (or whatever his real name actually is) who was known as the "Tinder Swindler". This guy would find women on Tinder, wine and dine them with romantic and expensive dates to earn their trust and love completely before supposedly running into trouble and needing money. One poor soul gave over $250,000 to the slimeball. He operated a Ponzi scheme whereby he would use the money of one woman to start a scheme on the next woman of wining and dining her before using her money to then wine and dine the next one.

It's certainly difficult to watch because it is so frustrating that he's able to get away with it. Kudos to the women who dealt with him and how they worked together to bring him down but it's shocking to see that he really had no comeuppance for his crimes. He was sentenced to a paltry 15 months of which he only served 5 and now appears to be living the highlife in Israel, absolutely loaded and living and indulge in a luxury life while the women who were screened by him are still left paying debts of over a quarter of $1 million. Let's hope Netflix coughed up from their deep pockets to help these ladies out.

It's sad that there aren't more things in place to stop this happening or for him to have to pay off the debts that they have taken, particularly when there was so much evidence in their conversations and WhatsApp chats but it seems to be the injustice of the world. It was also sad to see that when their story was aired, the were the subject of so much vitriol; that it served them right and they deserved it. Again, such a corrupt world we live in.

It's an interesting watch, it's a fairly concise story but I'm afraid the ending is rather disappointing for everyone involved except for Simon who really didn't learn his lesson. If you don't like to see people getting away with physical daylight robbery then I don't recommend watching it because it leaves you feeling quite disappointed and angry that there really is no comeuppance for this horrendous human being.

The Wasteland (2021)

Brilliant representation of depression, great acting and setting. Recommended

[10/10 · 21 September 2022]

I actually really enjoyed this film and it surprised me. The reviews seem to be a love it or hate it kind of scenario but I loved it. I think what makes the film is so good is that it can be interpreted in 2 different ways. The setting, the effects, the storyline... It's all very basic, very desolate and post-apocalyptic so you are relying on nothing other than good acting.

The story centres around Diego and his family who have chosen to live in isolation in the wastelands during 19th century Spanish conflict. His parents are already feeling the strain of their isolated life and this is compounded by their differing ways of wanting to parent.

One evening Salvador tells Diego the story of a monster feeds on fear and tells how his sister saw the monster get closer every evening before eventually taking her own life and he was unable to help as he didn't see the monster. Eventually Salvador takes an opportunity to leave his family behind and rides either to his death or to a new life.

Diego's mother becomes more and more detached after her husband leaves. She then begins to see the monster getting closer to the property every evening. There are times where Diego sees the monster and times where he doesn't which leaves you unable to truly tell whether it's real or not.

Eventually the monster "consumes her" and she takes her own life believing this is what the monster wants. Diego is also nearly consumed before fighting the monster back and setting it on fire. He then leaves and tries to rescue his mother but she dies and comes to her wounds. He floats her body down the river towards monster before walking off into the distance.

Now there are two ways of interpreting the storyline and I think both are good...

* either the monster is real and is a simple urban legend that has appeared to them and is feeding on their grief and fear. There are several points in the film where this appears plausible. There are times when we see the monster and times where it is left deliberately ambiguous. The monster feeds on fear and his mother who is sad because the husband has left and she's on her own raising a son in a desolate wasteland succumbs to its powers. However Diego finally matures as a young man and he is able to send it away with his confidence and goes off to start his life again.

* The second option and what I think is more plausible is that the monster is a representation of depression. We're talking about a family living on their own in the middle of nowhere as a set of three. Times are hard, war rages all around and the three of them are alone. The divide is created between the husband and wife, the husband chooses to leave and accept whatever fate awaits him rather than staying with his family. This causes the mother to spiral downwards into depression and the more depression takes over, the closer the monster gets to her house. At times when Diego feel sadness he is able to see and hear the monster which I believe is depression trying to effectively break him down as well. It's the moments where he feels such despair that it would be easy to be swept up in the emotions of the throes of depression. However when he stands up and is brave enough to tell it to get back and get away, he stands up to that feeling of depression and overcomes it. When he loses his mother and says goodbye to her, you see the outline in his eye but it seems to be stood in the distance accepting his mothers body but not following him because he has undergone a journey of maturing, becoming a man and dealing with his emotions.

Either way you look at the film is actually really good and although I wouldn't call it a classic "horror" film with an entity or a ghost, it's a very clever psychological horror film.

There are many monsters that we all deal with in our own life every day without the need to create fake ones. Seeing depression manifest as a physical being helps people to understand the battle more. To be fighting something that no one else can see, to try and fight it as it gets closer and closer until it consumes you... These are all really good images of depression and how it can flood the mind.

The film is extremely paired back with a little to no CGI and relies solely on a very desolate set up and landscape. A run down Stonehouse in the middle of nowhere, no trees, no flowers; boggy areas, half dead looking grass... It's all a metaphor for a bigger thing in my opinion and only as Diego leaves the home and walks away from his parents does the scenery change slightly and become more saturated with colour.

I know that this film is a bit of a marmite film, I've seen lots of reviews that are unhappy with how it's done due to the lack of imagery, the lack of a monster, the lack of a conclusion but it's a film that is designed to make you think and it's a very interesting way of portraying depression. As somebody who has suffered with it in my life, perhaps it was more evident to me what the film was in microcosm for.

The acting is fantastic, the setting is fantastic and I honestly recommend watching it.

Just remember when you're watching it what the message of the film is. Don't go in expecting a cheap horror flick with CGI, things that go bump in the night and a ghost/Demon. Go in with the understanding that this is a film that represents a psychological, mental battle and you won't be disappointed.

Sins of Our Mother (2022)

Concise, detailed and without all the cutscenes and animation that makes these documentaries unbearable

[9/10 · 16 September 2022]

I do enjoy a crime documentary but so often they are stretched out over far too many episodes and filled with cheap CGI cut scenes and animation. I enjoyed this one because the story was more condensed over three episodes but there never felt like there was a period of too many people trying to talk and fill the silence.

It's a sad story and really highlights to me everything that's wrong with religion. The belief that killing your children is "Gods will" to me seems to go against everything God is supposed to stand for. It is madness to see how people can be so easily led and consumed with these extremist theories so it is a very sad story.

Probably my only complaint is that as of the time of my review, the mother and her husband haven't been charged and no details have been released in regards to how the children were killed or the ex-wife and it would've been more interesting to know what the outcome of their trial was on the details but this is not scheduled until 2023.

All in all it's interesting, pretty concise and kept me engaged across the 3 episodes.

The Binding (2020)

Average, run of mill. Nothing that hasn't been done before

[5/10 · 14 September 2022]

This film is indicative of pretty much every horror film on the market at the moment. Nothing overwhelming or different happens in the storyline.

It's very clear from the outset that the storyline was going to be that a family go back home to visit their superstitious and ritualistic elders. Whilst the trailer leads you to believe that it is the older members of the family who are responsible, it turns out in all too often visited twist that they are the ones actually trying to protect the family members against the dark force.

The acting itself was pretty solid, there were moments where the lighting was very dark and I struggled to see what was going on and at times I had trouble understanding whether Ada was dead or just possessed because of how it plays out in the beginning versus the end & I found myself getting a bit bored and reaching for my phone in parts instead of dedicating myself to the ending.

It's not bad, it's a run-of-the-mill horror. There aren't very many scary bits in my opinion, a few creepy bits if you're not a fan of people being possessed but overall I feel that it's lacking a certain something.

I enjoyed the idea behind the traditional folklore of "binding" and the scenery and set were visually pleasing. A beautiful old Italian house in the middle of nowhere with lots of land and as always, in desperate need of a lick of paint and a bit of modernising. However again it's a setting that's been used many times before so lacking originality in that part as well.

Overall it kills a couple of hours, it's not that bad to watch; just to someone who watches a lot of horrors it was a little flat for my liking.

The Influence (2019)

Usual standard from a Netflix Original; good but could be better

[7/10 · 14 September 2022]

Hi now I've come to accept a certain standard when it comes to Netflix Originals around horror films. Quite often the films build very well and then come to an unsatisfactory conclusion and I'm afraid "The Influence" is no different.

The story follows the journey of Alicia who is summoned by her sister Sara to help care for their ailing mother Victoria. Alicia brings her unemployed husband Mikel and daughter Nora with her. Both of the girls have a very fractious relationship with their mother. Victoria is a practising witch who sought the dark arts and regularly made the girls the objects of her spells; exposing them to graphic scenes, abuse and torture. Alicia who left home to escape this has regressed and forgotten a lot of what happens whereas Sara who has remained at home throughout, remembers more and has been there through every stage of her mothers illness resulting in her coma.

The longer Alicia stays, the more she remembers of her troubled childhood. Nora appears to build a psychic relationship with Victoria and despite Victoria being in a coma, she is regularly seen conversing with an unseen presence which is implied to be Victoria. We see her cutting a piece of her hair and making her own totem and she also randomly discovers a locket belonging to Victoria which seems familiar to Alicia.

Nora struggles to fit in at school and bond with the children there. One lunchtime, she meets Luna who is a complete recluse who she resonates with. This causes a drastic change in Nora's behaviour, leading her down a dark path. This is amplified when Nora gets into a graphic fight at school following taunting from a bully about her grandmother. She attacks her viciously with a compass before beating her and as a result she is suspended from school; meaning she spends more time around her grandmother.

When a lawyer visits to advise that the entire estate has been left to Nora and bypasses the two sisters, the storyline becomes painfully clear which kind of disappointed me because I knew what was going to happen.

Overall the storyline isn't bad but there's also elements of it that have been so overdone in the horror industry and sometimes it would be nice if a different direction is taken.

The acting was pretty solid, some of that is of course lost if you watch it dubbed into English but even so, the acting wasn't bad to watch and the setting was good. Instead of relying heavily on special effects and CGI, the simple premise of a dilapidated and rundown house, poor lighting and the constant beep and raspy breathing of the ventilator is enough to set up a suitably scary atmosphere.

My one complaint regarding this film was the lighting. Even when I turned my display up to full brightness, I still struggled to see what was going on in the film at times and that can be really frustrating having to pause and rewind.

Also worth noting if you are arachnophobia, the opening scenes are definitely not your cup of tea. It features graphic up close shots of a tarantula shedding its skin so you might want to fast forward.

Overall on par with most Netflix Original horrors that I've seen. Good potential but doesn't quite hit the spot.

Separation (I) (2021)

Enjoyable, laid back horror

[7/10 · 14 September 2022]

I'll admit, I wasn't expecting much when I put this film on. I felt that it was worthy of a predictable 90s horror film but figured it would pass an hour.

I was actually quite surprised by the storyline, the acting was fantastic and the twist at the end really kept me guessing.

In a overly saturated market, it can be hard to create a horror film that really stands head and shoulders but this one was a pretty good attempt.

There are definitely certain aspects of the film that really makes you cross. The father-in-law and his obsession with trying to take his child away was ridiculous and seemed nothing more than revenge. I cannot believe somebody so hellbent on revenge can easily be swayed by the fact that the court doesn't find in his favour and I was half expecting him to appear one day and just kidnap the child. I doubt somebody who feels so passionately would give up without a fight.

However all in all I did enjoy this film, it kept me captivated from beginning to end, the storyline was easy to follow, the "entity" with something a little different to what I've seen and the twist at the end definitely kept me guessing.

Thor: Love and Thunder (2022)

Poor storyline, thrown together to make money on another film.

[4/10 · 14 September 2022]

Oh gosh... I have to admit I was really disappointed by this film.

Personally for me I'm not keen on the trajectory and style that Thor is presented in.

The pomp and grandeur of the first film was understandable; Thor was a God who didn't fraternise with humans and was not worthy of Mjolnir because of his arrogance and assumptions. He had to learn the hard way about being worthy and it was a real transformation of his character. The first film I did enjoy.

Since the first film and over subsequent Avengers films, I've kind of lost interest in Thors character arc.

The weight gain, the pudgy stomach, the complete crisis of confidence... It feels with every film he takes a journey to try to work out who he is as a character and a person, he finds that and then by the next film he's lost it. His constant stupidity and ignorance that his brother Loki will be anything other than a cheat in a self-serving character is also ridiculous and it feels like he doesn't develop as a character from one film to the next.

In this one, after pottering around the universe with the Guardians of the Galaxy for awhile, Thor still doesn't really know who he is or his purpose so he sits and waits purely to be called forth to help save people. He joins the guardians and helping to defend a planet whose temple has been overtaken following the death of their gods. Thor sweeps in at the 11th hour, completely over the top and full of drama and whilst he saved the planet, he destroys the indigenous peoples beautiful temple which is so important to them purely by being typically over the top. Only when one of his friends from the first film Sif calls to him for help against the God butcher, does Thor seem to get himself in gear.

What follows then is then Thor on an adventure with his friends to work out how to defeat the God Butcher but the storyline was just weak in my opinion.

Russell Crowe playing Zeus, the supposed King of Gods who is reduced to nothing more than a poorly spoken Italian, more interested in orgies than saving the future of the Gods, supposedly taken down with his own weapon by a lesser God? Yes by all means this was self-serving and it's sometimes selfish but I hardly believe that the overlord of all celestial beings would turn his head away from such a dangerous threat.

Natalie Portman playing or Mighty Thor; It seems a ridiculous story arc for me for a human to be able to harness the power of the gods, particularly one dying from stage 4 cancer. Mjolnir presenting itself to her in the time of need whilst supposedly draining her life so that she is unable to fight the cancer that she faces and ultimately kills her?

The only believable character for me was Christian Bale playing Gorr. However I felt the ending of his character was ridiculously quick. Somebody is so possessed by grief and disappointment who goes on a bender to destroy every single God in the universe, being convinced at the last minute to change his ways felt really poor. He brings his daughter back whereas if he has truly become selfless, could use his wish to bring Jane Foster back, having been the one that's contributed to her dying. No... Instead he brings back his dead daughter just before he dies so she can watch him die and then she apparently grows up with Thor as her uncle?

No I'm sorry, I know there will be lots of diehard fans out there that are happy with this but for me the film just felt really weak and poor. I was left really disappointed having wasted two hours watching this glorified circus act. I love Chris Hemsworth and I think he's a great actor but I feel that Thor is now becoming a comedic act and nothing more. The pomp and grandeur that he talks within the first films seems really overdone in this, the constant need to work heavy metal music in and make him an oversized, laughing stock of a character is a really disappointing character arc for me and it feels like they had to scrape together any possible storyline to make this one.

Definitely don't recommend.

Girl on the Third Floor (2019)

Poor storyline, some good bits but not the best

[6/10 · 13 September 2022]

Wow... To be honest I don't know really how to review this film if I'm honest with you.

When I watched the trailer, I got a very different impression of what the film was going to be like to what I actually witnessed when I watched it. The plot line was easy enough to follow, we followed Don (CM Punk) a husband who is on a bid to prove to his wife that he's changed after being convicted for defrauding his clients. He moved to this dilapidated Victorian property and begins the arduous task of renovating it for him, his wife and their unborn child.

He certainly is up against it because the house is very rundown and dejected; sludge and slime running out of the walls and in desperate need of TLC. He learns from the local pastor and barkeeper about the houses sordid past and the effect it has on straight men.

He meets another neighbour Sarah who he is easily seduced by in a night of passion. He is then keen to cut any ties with Sarah because he doesn't want his wife finding out as he has supposedly "changed". However Sarah is not all that she seems and what Don considered a one off night of passion, turns out to be much more than he bargained for.

Acting wise, it's pretty solid. CM Punk surprised me because I had no clue he was a wrestler until I looked at his credentials. I think that he was pretty convincing and a lot of the time he was acting on his own with no one to play off of.

The film itself is quite perverse and disturbing. The storyline I struggled with because I didn't really understand the reason for it. It seems to be a house of retribution shall we say without any real rhyme or reason and that stopped me from really resonating with Sarah and the reasons for her actions.

It was a film that I ended up switching off halfway through and coming back to later because I just couldn't get into it and it's not a film that I would probably watch again. There were also several aspects in the film that I didn't feel really had any explanation or enough background/story to make it a point I could resonate with.

I feel that the film has potential but I think it needed a little bit more story and character development to link in with. Even with a horror story, you need to have a basic storyline and character link to be able to sympathise and work with. I didn't feel that I had that with this film.

Don't Listen (2020)

Good solid ghost story, starts fast and doesn't lose momentum

[7/10 · 13 September 2022]

First thing to mention with this film is that the action is pretty much straight away with no atmosphere build. Most American/English horror films follow the same formula of introducing you to your protagonist/s and then allowing the film to develop slowly. Sometimes there may be a small snippet of the "horror" element before we come to our protagonist but it always tends to be a slow burner. This film completely turned all of that on its head by jumping in straight away with the action. This is good but at the same token it makes you feel like you've joined a film halfway through and it's not my favourite way to start a horror film.

In a nutshell the film follows the Delasco family as they move into a dilapidated old Villa style property to renovate it. It appears that this is their MO in terms of buying properties, renovating and then selling on.

Their young son Eric shows straightaway that he is aware of spooky goings on in the Home. He appears to hear voices and see entities within the house. At one point it appears that Eric is visited by a therapist but that doesn't seem to be any real reason as to why he's seeing a therapist such as previous trauma or history. After Eric the entity several times and is woken up at night by it, Daniel and Sara wake up one evening to the sound of the pool gate banging and when Daniel goes outside, he finds Eric's lifeless body face down in the dilapidated pool. This goes against everything Eric has been taught about not going there the family pool unattended so it's strongly implied that his death is not an accident and therefore the work of the entity.

United in their understandable grief, the family struggle to move forward and Sara decides to move away for a few weeks from the house. Daniel decides to stay and continue working on the property. One evening, while recording a voice message to his wife, he captures the sound of his son calling out for help and enlists the help of a conveniently local parapsychologist Germán in town signing copies of his latest book about the EVP phenomenon.

Germán and his daughter Ruth attend the house. Ruth believes that it is just another hoax but Germán is hopeful that this may be the real deal; having searched for evidence and proof ever since he lost his wife. Whilst there, they are able to capture several interesting pieces of evidence of the entities in the property using thermal imaging and EVP.

From there the film gets quite interesting and it's a fairly solid storyline for the supposed entity in the house. I won't ruin the ending for you but it's a fairly satisfying ending although a little bit rushed. The twist at the end is the clincher though.

All in all I didn't think the film was bad, it didn't rely much on CGI or cheap scares and did very well to build a good, tense atmosphere. The acting is very good and the fact that the film is dubbed doesn't take away from that.

It's definitely a film I'd recommend seeing.

The IT Crowd (2006–2013)

Comedy gold, I can watch again and again!

[10/10 · 11 September 2022]

Honestly... I can't explain how much I love the IT crowd. I have gone back to this series so many times when I want relaxed, laid-back viewing and every time I enjoy it as much as I did the first time.

The series follows Roy and Moss who work in the IT department at Reynholm industries. They perfectly convey the frustrations of working in an IT department where most people have absolutely no clue just how much work goes into working in the IT department.

How long comes Jen who blocks her way into the IT manager role with absolutely no experience of IT. Whilst Roy Moss are initially reluctant and not willing to accept her into the team, they overtime develop a good friendship and become a hilarious team to watch.

Working for a crazy, unpredictable and eccentric boss has its drawbacks and certainly leads to some hilarious escapades. When he commit suicides over a tax fraud on the pension fund, his even more eccentric son takes over the business and the results are hilarious.

Matt Berry steals the show as always with over dramatic portrayal of Douglas Reynholm. His larger-than-life character has me laughing more than any of the others. However Roy and his hysteria coupled with Mos and his nerdy ways along with Jen desperately trying to hold it together at all times whilst failing miserably just meet for a really laugh out loud program that you can watch time and time again.