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Swallowed (2022)
Great mix of tenderness and horror
I was literally complaining the other day about how few horror movies we have with openly LGBTQIA leads that explore intimacy in both its beautiful and horrifying aspects the way directors like Cronenberg had... And would you look at that!
How intimacy can be used as a way to bound as well as to hurt, to empower as well as to belittle is, in my opinion, really well shown. I also appreciate how Ben's dream of becoming an adult movie star is never frowned upon while being realistic about the industry.
As other reviewers have mentioned Ben and Dom have an incredible chemistry and the tenderness and desire between them is beautifully portrayed both by the talented actors and the direction. On that note, Alice and Rich's actors are also incredible in their own right, horrifying in how humans they are despite the lengths they go to.
Several people have complained it could have gone harder on the body horror, and while I'm always up for more, I feel like for a small budget film it was well done. If anything, I appreciate that the horror didn't come solely from that, but also from more mundane parts of the plot. (Alice's character for example, set my teeth on edge more than any gooey monstrosity).
I'm glad I watched this movie and I hope more people get to enjoy it!
Barbarian (2022)
Believe me, you have NOT seen that movie before.
As a seasoned horror fan, I started watching Barbarian expecting a bland nostalgia fueled horror movie (for the director, as I'm not exactly a fan of the kind of movies certain horror directors swear by). But instead, I was pleasantly surprised by everything I saw.
As many reviews say, it is better to go in blind, but I can assure you that it is far from your run-of-the-mill horror.
I personally appreciated Barbarian's smart and socially relevant plot, how the cinematography reflects the characters' point of view in a clever way, and the director being very careful about what to show and what to suggest instead.
On a more personal note, I'm also always happy to see a black girl as the main character of a horror movie, even if it's more common nowadays.
So, if you think you know the plot of this movie, no you don't. And if you are a woman really unsure about whether to give this movie a try, do it, you might be pleasantly surprised.
Wendell & Wild (2022)
So, so smart!
Wendell and Wild is a beautifully animated movie that tackles complex real life issues such as: trauma and how to heal from it, the school to prison pipeline, rehabilitation, and the importance of community.
(Bet you didn't expect that from a movie about a cute punk black girl summoning demons.)
All the issues are treated in a nuanced yet accessible way through a mix of metaphor and plain explanation.
Even the many storylines, that some people have found messy, tie neatly into a coherent whole that serves to convey the overall message of the movie.
And if the incredible plot isn't enough, I'm sure the incredible animation, the diverse cast of quirky characters, and the really good soundtrack will win you over!
Tom Swift (2022)
Incredibly fun, black and queer
If you've been looking for a show with the cheesiest storylines from the late 90s but in which everyone is black, queer, and extremely attractive, look no further!
I had tons of fun watching Tom Swift! The mix between interpersonal drama, power struggle within the company, worldwide conspiracy and spy missions was very entertaining. Not to mention the cool gadgets and lovely outfits! (Every single one of Tom's outfit is a flex.)
It reminded me of watching action and drama packed American TV shows with my dad when I was a kid, but this time everyone looks like me!
Having dark skin black characters who are gay, trans, or pansexual outside of a realistic setting is very refreshing.
I also liked how, while everyone is doing cool things in this very over the top setting, we have flashes of real life issues and real character depth and development that feels genuine.
I've devoured the first 3 episodes and I can't wait for the rest of the season!
Never Better (2022)
An important and well done movie.
I was very worried about where this movie was going to go, but it felt to me (an able-bodied person) like a thoughtful portrayal of the frustrations and anxiety disabled people have been expressing during the COVID pandemic.
I found Sofia Bryant's performance really touching and relatable, especially in the way she's always trying to down play her illness and struggles in order not to freak out both herself and those around her. And how people who don't know her (or don't try to know her) take it as a sign that she is not actually struggling. Beyond the disability aspect, it felt very true to my own experience as a black woman, on how we sometimes cannot really afford vulnerability.
Also Terese is just a fun character and it was nice to spend time with her and her thoughts, especially with such a slick cinematography to accompany her.
My only two issues with this movie would be:
First, Amanda. I felt like the movie was a little too lenient with her in the end, not completely putting the blame on Terese for here irresponsibility throughout the movie, (thank god!) but still slightly blaming her for not opening up more. As if Amanda couldn't do a google search.
Second, I feel like the financial aspect should have come into play, especially since so many people lost their jobs all around the world because of COVID and high risk people having to work, sometimes dangerous jobs and put themselves in danger because of that has been discussed at length. I'm sure this could have also been addressed in the same serious but light way other issues have been.
Still, I strongly recommend this movie, I had a great time watching it and I'm sure other people will too.
The Man with the Answers (2021)
A sweet but lacking road trip
I really enjoyed the beautiful sceneries, visual story telling and the actors chemistry.
However I felt like while Victorias character and struggles are explored, Mathias is very much a surface character. Which is a shame when the story revolves almost solely around them. We learn very little about Mathias' life apart from the fact that he is quirky which kinda turned him into the male equivalent of a manic pixie dream girl, in my opinion.
Nevertheless, it's a very relaxing and sweet movie to watch.
Jiva! (2021)
So fun and exciting !
I was in the mood for dance and black girl magic and it's exactly what I got.
Everyone looks stunning, the dance numbers are amazing, and it's tons of fun to see the characters' relationships evolve during the competition.
I just want more of The Trollies interacting outside of rehearsal and I hope we'll get that in season 2 !
Lapsis (2020)
A well done and surprisingly hopeful satire
Many people here seem to be disappointed by the ending, I was actually pleasantly surprised.
I was expecting some cynical horror and was happy that it turned out to be about humanity and the power of organizing and caring for each other in the face of the inhumane brutality of late-stage capitalism.
Aurora (2018)
A bit chaotic but interesting nonetheless
I understand why some people didn't like the movie, while interesting, the plot is a bit all over the place (like, I don't think the giant story line adds much to the story overall ?) and the CGI is sometimes unnecessary.
However, Aurora has some beautiful yet nightmarish scenes and interesting ideas.
I really liked the plot of Leana being quested by the grieving families to bring back the bodies of their loved ones and how she discovers what really happened on that ship in the process. It's not something I have seen often in the kind of horror movies I watch. The looming presence of said ship in the distance was also very much anxiety inducing.
On the chapter of powerful but SPOILERY scenes:
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Philip's description of what happened on board and the explanation as to why the ghosts are desperately trying to reach the hotel.
Leana having to walk over dozens of little girls dead bodies in the corridors of her own house to find her sister, then both of them reliving the trauma of the dead by ending up stuck on the sinking ship every times they try to escape their house that is being flooded, in the most literal sense, with ghosts.
The ending, with all the families finding the bodies of their loved ones thrown all around the hotel floor.
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End of the SPOILERS.
All of those make what I found to be an uneven but all in all interesting experience. I think it is also my first time watching a Filipino movie and it made me curious about Filipino horror.
FirstBorn (2016)
A good horror movie with an interesting theme
I am very fond of horror movies for what they can tell us about society and I really liked this one.
First I was glad to see a black woman (and her black daughter) as leads. It is especially rare in horror and fantasy movies, so seeing this is pretty much what drew my attention first.
I think the actors are great, even the little girl, who's performance is impressive, and I really liked the atmosphere.
The themes the movie deals with are quite interesting. I saw a commentary on the lack of involvement by many fathers in their family, on the difficulties of raising a child and especially on the gap between how we view maternity and how it actually is. And even what I'm pretty sure is a commentary on being a disabled kid in an abled family.
However it's only what I saw and I'd really like to hear more about what the director wanted to say with that movie.