Well, it’s that time again. Spooky season has arrived, and most traditions that people hold are trick or treating, costume parties, visiting haunted houses, but most importantly watching scary movies. I’ve always loved movies, but I’ve never been into horror movies that much. However, in more recent years, I have found myself more attractive to the genre, close to becoming a horror buff. Nevertheless, these are a couple of franchises that I believe really capture the spirit of Halloween.

1. Halloween

It’s a no brainer, right? I am actually about halfway into the series, myself. But I have seen the first iconic film dozens of times. Halloween birthed one of the most iconic serial killers of all time, Michael Meyers. A man with a dark history, in which he killed his sister, by repeatedly stabbing her to death. He has now escaped the asylum where he was kept, and his planning on exacting his vengeance on anyone in his path, namely Laurie played by Jamie Lee Curtis. It cemented John Carpenter as a exemplary director, and his inspired endless amounts of horror films to come, as well as the tropes within them. The theme song to Michael Meyers is recognizable to almost everyone. If you haven’t seen this film yet this month or at all, at least save it for Halloween night.

2. Chucky

I have already covered my thoughts on this franchise at length, in a ranking I did awhile back. But it still has remained, as one of my personal favorite franchises. The soul of a serial killer that is transferred into a doll, via demonic ritual, that is later bought by a mother for her innocent little boy. The doll comes to life terrorizing the mother, boy, and everyone else that comes in contact with it. There have been various reincarnations of the doll, and different retellings of the story itself. Brad Dourif, who has been the voice of Chucky, up until the 2018 release, has done a terrific job at turning this adorable doll, into a ruthless killer. Sometimes the franchise takes the path at making Chucky more serious, other times they make it more whimsical, with loads of dark humor. I much prefer the sillier installments of Chucky, however my thoughts differ from others. Regardless, it’s a gore filled, creative, and entertaining series that has turned Chucky, into a household name.

3. Jason Voorhees

A group of camp counselor are stalked and hunted by a masked assailant, after trying to reopen a summer camp, that was also the site of a child’s drowning. This formula of teenagers at a cabin or camp, is prevalent through out the whole franchise, with the exception of a few films. All the attention, logically, goes to our antagonist, Jason Voorhees. The thing is about Jason Voorhees, is he not only has great kills with the machete you sometimes see him carrying, but also with any object in sight. The most remarkable thing about this franchise is the kills, and man are they entertaining.

That’s all of the recommendations I have for now. I know there are probably countless franchises I’m leaving out like Scream and Friday the 13th, but these are some of my favorites, and I wanted to keep it short and sweet. Also this should be enough to get you through the rest of the month.

2020 hasn’t been much of an exciting year for film, so I have found myself revisiting films from last year and the last decade. One particular film that is still standing the test of time, and has become one of my favorites of the last ten years is The Social Network.

Directed by David Fincher, and written by Aaron Sorkin, the film tells the real life story of the creation of Facebook and Mark Zuckerberg’s impact on creating the groundbreaking site. It’s cast is comprised of Jessie Eisenberg, Andrew Garfield, and more.

If you were to simply go off the plot of the film, it doesn’t sound that interesting. On the surface, it just seems like another formulaic true story, with nothing memorable or offer.

It’s actually a riveting, dramatic, and heartbreaking tale of friendship, betrayal, and tragedy. I don’t use those words lightly. The social network also serves as a character study, behind one of the biggest tech giant’s of the 21 century.

The whole film is Mark Zuckerberg being involved with two lawsuits. The first being with the Winklevoss twins, of whom claim Mark stole the idea from them. The other lawsuit involving Eduardo Saverin who sued Mark over ownership of the company. Both sides of each lawsuit, explain how the idea came to be, and how each side was manipulated. But more so how Mark manipulated them.

Fincher & Sorkin paint Mark Zuckerberg to be the anti-hero of this film. The way Mark manipulates people for his own gain, and his arrogance towards those who haven’t given him what he wants, is truly sickening. The script is tight, and the dialogue is executed quickly and efficiently.

The sound design and score, convey this feeling of deception and betrayal, that you don’t see too often in a biopic.

This is a biopic in fairness, but when you watch it, it really doesn’t feel that way. It’s crafted so meticulously and performed so authentically. It shows our main protagonist in not the best light, exposing his true colors. Or so the film claims.

Either way it is a fantastic film, that deserves a rewatch from everyone.

One of the newest films that have come out on Netflix, that you might have noticed on the service is a South Korean zombie movie titled #Alive.

The plot of the film is about a grisly zombie outbreak that rapidly increases within a city. John-Woo is a man who lives in his parents apartment that is one of the higher rooms. As the outbreak increases, and resources become sparse, John-woo does what ever he can to escape his apartment and survive.

Within the first few minutes of the film, it wastes no time diving head first into the action. Our protagonist is doing something, and before he knows it his friends and family are contacting him, letting him know about all the commotion. Then John-woo looks at the news, and peeks out his apartment window, and we see the zombies quickly wreaking havoc and infecting others. The first act really leaves no time for us to breath with its fast pace and quick editing. You are constantly on your feet, and something is always happening. This style of editing does not stop in the beginning, but is continued through out the film in different parts.

John-woo, after realizing that he can’t go outside without getting infected, resort’s to barricading himself within the apartment. As one can assume, his family wasn’t able to come back to the apartment anytime soon, so he has to stay there, and adapt do his current situation.

There is a clear and transparent comparison to how John-woo is tackling this problem, and how we are dealing with COVID. Fortunately, this parallel doesn’t seem as ham fisted as other films out there right now. How the main protagonist deals with the zombie outbreak, is a pretty accurate representation of what most people would do in the given situation. We would all go to our devices immediately, most of us wouldn’t savor the last meal we have in our food storage. The film isn’t weighed down by the nonsensical horror cliches that we are all used to, each decision or choice made in the film, is more or less logical.

I enjoyed the movie pretty thoroughly, and I feel that it used up its runtime pretty sufficiently. It’s tense, engaging, and interesting from start to finish. My critiques are that it is a pretty generic and formulaic genre film, that we’ve all seen before. Even if the quality is a tad better than the other zombies movies out there. I also mean that the ending is very predictable and there a few nuances to the film that separates it from others. It is definitely word the watch though, if you have the time.

The first documentary I’ve seen that has come out this year, and what an urgent, exciting, and engaging film this was.

The Social Dilemma sits us down with some of the most influential creators of social media, sites like Google, Facebook, Instagram, and many others. As the film rolls along, we get key insight of what it was like making and designing these sites. The many features that we have grown accustomed to. It also includes a dramatization of a one family’s impact with social media.

This is a harrowing and cautionary study about the impact of Social media. How it affects our mental health, politics, relationships, and much more. This isn’t the first time a film has come out that has touched on social media, some earlier examples are films like The Social Network. But there hasn’t been a film thus far, that has truly went below the surface and showed us the science and psychology behind these apps. How it affects us as human beings.

It’s content and the statistics shown are very disturbing. Even if you are an avid user of social media, and you think you have some sense of control on these apps. The reality is, these apps are controlling you, your interests and insecurities.

A potential complaint of this film, would be that it’s subject matter is a bit watered down. I would say otherwise, I think that perspective is a sign of defeat, a sign that acknowledges the problem but sees no other way around it. This is not the case. In the third act these various creators give advice and solutions to tackle these problems.

My only problem with this film is the dramatization. In some cases this method works, but not this one. I found it very distracting and not too investing.

However this is a very interesting and insightful documentary, one that is understandable to virtually everyone in the modern world. Heavily recommended.

One of the few films that I was excited for, upon hearing that is was going to be streaming on Netflix.

Writer/Director Charlie Kaufman has returned to cinema, releasing a feature film titled a I’m Thinking of Ending Things. Adapted from the novel by Iain Reid, it tells story of a young woman traveling with her boyfriend to meet his parents at their farmhouse, when she starts to have misgivings about her boyfriend.

I haven’t read the novel by Iain Reid, But I am pretty familiar with the work of Kaufman. He has wrote such great works as Being John Malkovich, Adaptation, and Eternal Sunshine of The Spotless Mind. Interestingly enough, I actually watched Synecdoche New York this week, completely forgetting that he had another picture coming quiet soon.

Kaufman is another auteur, who examines the human condition and everything that surrounds it. I’m Thinking of Ending Things is no exception. Although, compared to his other works, this film is left in the abstract when considering it’s themes and ideas. If you are a newcomer to Kaufman, I would still recommend this. However it is not as understandable as one would hope. At least on first viewing of course.

Here Kaufman plays around with aging or at least the idea of aging. One’s body, spirit, and mind slowly but surely deteriorating. You come to a point where you are just a vessel of all your mistakes, of all the things you could’ve done, but never tried. An endless cycle of self reflection, which ultimately becomes the cause of your own demise.

The film also taps into our innermost thoughts, when we find ourselves examining our current life situation, to the point of overanalyzing, which is the reason for evoking a feeling of self-doubt and hysteria.

I believe a majority of it all is in the visual storytelling. Granted, there are big chunks of this film where our characters are simply conversing with one another. But don’t let that fool you. I’ve seen the film 3 times now, and each time I have seen it I have gained a new understanding and perspective. The camerawork, editing, cinematography are executed almost masterfully. It is a very meticulous piece of cinema, that at first I found hard to digest. But through further pondering and rewatches, it has been a very rewarding and invigorating experience.

If you are reading this, you might be wondering why a 19 year old is watching a Spy Kids movie that came out almost 20 years ago. Well the simple answer is is that I was with a friend who also wanted to watch it just for fun, and so we did. Also this movie makes me feel pretty nostalgic.

The sequel of the Spy Kids film is about “The Cortez siblings set out for a mysterious island, where they encounter a genetic scientist and a set of rival spy kids”. Telling you the basic description of this film is pretty pointless, seeing as though Spy Kids is just a bond movie for kids, with the occasional sci fi elements.

Now of course this came out in 2002, so it clearly hasn’t aged too well. But it is a still a visually engaging film. It’s the type of movie that kids nowadays will still find entertaining. Some of the gags actually work.

Overall its a fun, cheesy, harmless kids spy movie. If you were born in the 2000’s or grew up on this stuff, you would understand where I am coming from.

Instead of watching films that have come out this year, I’ve just been playing catch up, on random films that supposedly make you a cinephile. I heard a little bit of buzz surrounding this movie and decided to check it out. The only thing I knew is that it starred the guy from Stranger Things.

The IMDB synopsis for this film is as follows “Thirsty for a following, Kurt Kunkle is a rideshare driver who has figured out a deadly plan to go viral.”

The film is shot through the perspective of cameras, whether that be through phone or the camera’s placed around our protagonists car. We have seen this technique used before in films like Searching and Unfriended. When this method is used, it can be very easy for the film to fall flat. But Spree uses it quite well, thanks to a great lead performance and the subject matter at hand.

Social media plays a big role in this film, since the main character we are following is hungry for likes, followers, shares, etc. The film does an exceptional job at depicting an individual’s need for online validation. This constant consumption of likes and reposts, that no longer serve as a simple hobby, but becomes an extension of that person’s personality. What drives this notion him is Joe Keery’s performance as Kurt. He completely inhabits this role of someone who is well versed with the online world, but is very much an amateur.

It’s a nice 90 minute thriller which due to its editing and pace, make it go by very fast. It entertains from start to finish. It may not have sustainability as a film, but it is a very fun watch.

This show has been out for awhile and I am really late to the bandwagon, but when I first heard about it I wasn’t too interested in it. At the time I hadn’t explored film that much, so now was the best time for me to get into.

Euphoria is a coming of age tale of about various high schoolers who struggle with issues of drugs, sex, and violence. Now we have all seen these types of run of the mill genres before, but this series, much like every great coming of age film, is completely honest with itself. Nothing is sugar coated. I watch this show and I think about my time in high school and it isn’t completely different. Admittedly, this show may be hard to watch for some viewers, given the amount of sex, nudity, and violence. Those complaints towards the film are justified and logical, however it remains to be a brutally honest depiction of us as humans, especially during those trying times in high school.

What separates Euphoria from your average television series, with the exception of the performances and source material, is the overall look. The way the camera moves around, mimicking the feelings of the characters at hand. The series features beautiful editing techniques that are almost seamless, unnoticeable. It is also, at times, drenched in a nice luscious neon glaze. It’s a limited series, that never drags once. The characters are fleshed out and interesting, we are able to connect with them on an emotional level.

I asked myself in the beginning why is this show so popular, why is everybody raving about it? I think I know the answer now. It’s a relatable show that doesn’t seem fake or pretentious. The themes and ideas thrown in, and talked about, or shown via visual storytelling, feel very urgent and significant. It is a gorgeously looking film, that is always engaging, with different twists and turns. It is a show that is worth checking out.

A few weeks ago I stumbled upon the mini series The Last Dance, I had heard about all the hype surrounding this show, but what really pulled me in was the fact that we were gonna get to know about Michael Jordan’s background. Michael Jordan has become a household name and a worldwide icon. His skill on the court, work ethic, and charisma has garnered him the title of being one of the best basketball players of all time, if not the best. But after watching the show what really struck me was his unrelenting leadership on the Bulls team, and how he overcame trials in his personal life that affected his career.

The Last Dance chronicles the Chicago Bulls rise to fame in the 1990’s and what came before that time period. The timeline moves from different years that included Michael Jordan’s presence on the team and off. It not only gives us insight on MJ himself, but the rest of the players and management behind this dynasty.

While the timeline aspect of this film wasn’t executed entirely well, I can say that this was pretty engaging from start to finish. The montage’s of MJ and the Bull’s in their prime is truly a revelation to watch. These players and MJ achieve levels of athleticism that I did not know were possible.

We are also given real time narration from the old players who remember quiet vividly their experience on the team.

All in all, its a pretty engaging documentary series that is worth your time. Even if you aren’t a die hard Bulls fan or basketball fan is still is interesting.

Over the past weekend, I decided to go back and watch all of the Chucky movies, that I had heard about, but not seen. After I had seen the first film Child’s Play, I was fully aware of the fact that there was an entire series following the 1988 film, but I had no interest in exploring them. I knew or at least convinced myself, that all of the films after Child’s Play were awful, because there was a new director, and just the titles of some of them seemed so bizarre. I didn’t give them a chance back them, but now I realize that they weren’t as bad as I expected them to be, some of them were actually good, better than the first even.

So today, I will be giving my ranking of all of the films in this franchise to date from worst to best. Spoilers will follow.

8. Child’s Play 3

Third times the charm, as they say. Man this was bad. Just the foundation that this film’s plot rests on is stupid. This follows the events of 1 and 2, and Andy Barclay’s character has gotten older. But the acting from the guy who plays this character doesn’t get better. Andy goes to military school, I mean really. There really is nothing memorable about this film, nothing that enhances the character of Chucky and especially Andy. The redeeming qualities about this film is that some of the kills are cool. Cool. Not creative, cool as in I am glad that it’s there. There really is nothing special about this film, just a mindless slasher with very little enjoyment.

7. Cult of Chucky

This and Curse of Chucky share the same flaw that I really can’t stand, the characters. Once again we follow Nica, who is now confined to an asylum for the criminally insane, where psychiatrists use a therapeutic tool for group session, that toll being the good guy doll. Even when I explain the plot of this film, it seems like they are just making an excuse to throw Chucky in the story, and in some ways they are. But I wouldn’t be too mad at that if they gave Chucky more screen time. The film for the majority of it’s runtime focuses on the same character we’ve seen before, of whom isn’t all too interesting, as well as side character who serve virtually no purpose to the story and become quite the nuisance after seeing them repeatedly. Dull and boring filler, along with Andy Barclay, but way way older. Who has a severed Chucky head locked up in a safe, who acts like an evil conscious. A plethora of returning characters who bring ridiculous plot lines, that get jumbled in the most confusing and fatuous way. It has nice kills and interesting parts, but doesn’t quite succeed.

6. Curse of Chucky

The previous film was so insane, that the director tried to return to the same atmosphere of the first film, to be a lot less comical. In this film we are introduced to the new character of Nica as well as her niece and family. The entirety of this film takes place in this big house, very similar to the first one. Chucky was given enough time on screen and there were some small details that made him a little bit more creepy, like with the pupils dilating, or building tension when a character thinks he’s in one place, but in reality he’s in another. Some of the kills were executed pretty well. I respect that fact that Don Mancini tried to revive this film, to give us the same sort of feeling we felt in the beginning, but at the same time the characters aren’t too interesting. It’s not as disappointing as Cult of Chucky, but not too much of an improvement.

5. Seed of Chucky

Without a doubt the most insane and ludicrous film within the whole franchise, and that saying something, given the standard of this serious. The jokes are a lot more crass, the violence very gory, and plot beyond all logic. Chucky and Tiffany have a baby, the opening sequence being a cgi version of Chucky’s sperm going in inside Tiffany, and the baby is this non binary gender confused doll. With that in mind, I’m sure you can think of the gags and jokes created and made throughout the film. The film shows Hollywood making a film about these killer dolls, and the movie going into production. We follow Jennifer Tilly, who is played by, Jennifer Tilly. As she struggles to find new roles to get. Some have said this is the lowest point of the franchise, and admittedly I can agree to that to some degree. It’s ambitious in terms of story and it doesn’t always nail the jokes or gore that it wants to. However, this is still one of the most entertaining in the franchise. When the jokes do land, they are hilarious. Some of the violence really works, because we just simply, love these characters. Glen or Glenda, the doll offspring, is a pretty fun character. The child, makes for some very entertaining banter between Chucky and Tiffany. I know it seems like they threw all logic out the window in this film, but it still manages to be edgy, darkly funny, and gory. Those are the things fans want from this franchise, and this film serves up a healthy dose of that.

4 Child’s Play, 2019

This came out 2 years after the last feature length film, and when this was made, there was actually a Child’s Play tv show running. There is still kind of an old school feel to this, however it’s in the modern digital age, where Chucky is more or less an AI. The director uses electronic devices, like phones, tv screens, and tablets, to Chucky’s advantage. Making Chucky more of a force to be reckoned with, which was a good idea. This kid who plays Andy, isn’t nearly as good as the original, but decent enough to keep you’re attention. Aubrey Plaza is good as the mother, but not that interesting whatsoever. Mark Hamill voices Chucky, he’s no Brad Dourif, but he does a pretty fine job given the material. The kills secure that hard R rating, making them as gory as can be. Since it came out last year, that production is pretty well done, as well as the set pieces. Better than the previous one in terms of quality.

3 Child’s Play 2

Some of the sequences within the first 30 minutes are very similar to the first film. But I wouldn’t go as far to say that it’s completely derivative of it’s predecessor. A lot more focus on Andy as a character, whose mother has been sent to the insane asylum. I found his character to be way more interesting this time around. The fear of Chucky seems a lot more personal. This was the first time we’ve seen Chucky’s personality more fleshed out. He is as disturbing and funny as one would expect. This has one of, if not the best finales in the whole franchise. I would argue it’s just as entertaining and fun as the first film, and can stand on its own two feet.

2. Child’s Play

The film that started it all. We are there during the death and reincarnation of Charles Lee Ray into Chucky the murderous doll. The animatronics for Chucky, for its time period are pretty impressive. This film has the most committed and honestly best performances in the series. It’s not over the top, Catherine Hicks does a really good job playing the mother of her troubled son. The tension in this film was done nicely and very effective. The kills were fresh and exciting. Chucky felt like a serious threat to Andy, while also being completely harmless to everyone else. It’s just a fun and entertaining film that I’m glad was created.

1. Bride of Chucky

After the horrible Child’s Play 3, it seemed like someone need to turn this franchise around. Bride of Chucky went for something new and fresh, and it payed off. We are introduced to the character of Tiffany, a former lover of Charles Lee Ray. After a ritual, executed by Chucky, Tiffany is turned into a doll. The chemistry between these two is great, this duo provides a majority of the comedy in this film, and it is done in such a hilarious way. This is undoubtedly the funniest film in the franchise. The kills are wacky and clever at the same time. The evil doll couple is a great contrast of the human characters we follow, Jade and Jesse. It’s a film that’s ambitious, but manages to pull it off. It knows exactly what it is, and embraces the absurdity of the subject matter.

I have come to love this franchise, it’s far from perfect, but it’s the kind of thing I would binge with my friends, come Halloween, or any occasion for that matter. It only seems to care about impressing and entertaining it’s fans.