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Halloween Ends (Review)

Posted in Horror Movies, New Movie reviews, Reviews, tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , on October 29, 2022| Leave a Comment »

by LaTaeya Lane

Warning: Mild Spoilers Below

Halloween Ends, starring (Jamie Lee Curtis) and directed by David Gordon Green, takes place four years after the last battle, which left Laurie Strode and the residents of Haddonfield still reeling from the traumatic events after Halloween Kills.

We find Laurie once again attempting to pick up the pieces of her life. This time we see her and her granddaughter managing to fuse their lives as they try to move on. Things quickly spiral once Laurie’s granddaughter Allyson played by (Andi Matichak) finds a love interest, Cory, portrayed by (Rohan Campbell) who completely changes the narrative of Michael Myers.

Laurie Strode, portrayed by the legendary Jamie Lee Curtis, is a formidable force to be reckoned with. After all these years, she still has a lot of fight in her. However, Laurie is much older and is in a different place in her life as she continues her battle with Evil. On the other hand, the Shape has also weakened with time, and moviegoers will see the effects of that weakness and how it plays such a pivotal role within this storyline.

Without giving too much away, I think that the film presented a fresh take on the lasting impact that Michael has had on Laurie and Haddonfield. It also gave fans an interesting spin on how the magic of horror can be revealed without remorse or explanation. Finally, this film introduces dedicated fans to a new concept of energy transference to The Shape’s, aka Michael Myers’ persona.

To some degree, the film did miss the mark on providing a better conclusion to Michael’s and Laurie’s story but overall, I was very satisfied with how the way things ended with Michael. At one point, I got excited about Cory’s introduction, thinking he might take the reins as a new reincarnated version of Michael Myers.

After 44 years of screaming, running, chasing, hunting, hiding, fighting, haunting, struggling, hoping, believing, and persevering, the Halloween saga has pushed the limits of horror. It has transcended time as the ultimate Good versus Evil theme and will forever reign as a staple in cinematic horror history.

Halloween Ends is must-see for those fans dedicated to the franchise.

I gave this movie 4 stars

L.L.

Check out the trailer below:

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The Walking Dead Episode 9 Recap/Review

Posted in AMC shows, Comic Book Movies, Fantasy literature, Horror Movies, Horror shows, Reviews, Walkers, tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , on February 22, 2022| Leave a Comment »

Season 11 Episode 9: Major Spoiler Alert!

The Walking Dead Season 11-part B picked up where we last left Daryl as he was officially recruited to join the Reapers. Still reeling from Pope’s death and Daryl’s so-called “betrayal,” we find Leah completely changed as her true colors surface while taking on the leadership role of the Reapers. Maggie, Elijah, and Negan find themselves in an all-out war against Carver. Determined to capture her to settle the score with Maggie, Carver’s army of one is eventually subdued. Negan leaves after the fight with Carver. Daryl manages to make his way back to Maggie while using the Reaper Carver as bait to negotiate a peaceful truce between the two groups. Gabriel lurks in the shadows while he waits for the perfect moment to strike. He briefly battles an inner struggle of faith, reason, and survival while engaging in a defining character moment with the Reaper Preacher. This moment shows strength and a formidable force that Gabriel tries to remain contained within but unleashes when necessary. Elijah is injured from the fight with Carver and makes Maggie promise that the Reapers get what they deserve after they kill his sister Josephine. Maggie’s take no prisoners attitude quickly contributes to things ending with the deaths of the Reapers by her own hand. Daryl and Maggie find themselves on opposite sides as Maggie attempts to end things with Leah. She takes a shot at Leah but only grazes her shoulder. Leah manages to get away, and Daryl goes after her but allows her to leave, realizing that they might have had a life together if they had made different choices. Maggie and the group find the food they are looking for, and she keeps her promise to go back for Alden. Unfortunately, she learns that Alden is now a Walker.

Suffering from another loss, Maggie and the group push forward as they reunite with Gabriel and the members of their Alexandrian Community. Daryl discovers that Connie is alive and well. Aaron and Rosita save Judith and Gracie from the basement Walkers. The community experiences a moment of peace, and when they think, they may need to fight again, Eugene returns with the Commonwealth Community. 

No Other Way was a great episode that closed one story chapter and opened another. We soon experience another time jump in the Walking Dead’s storytelling process. In the upcoming scenes, some Alexandria members are trying to fit into the Commonwealth lifestyle. As we see Daryl dressed in Commonwealth soldier attire, we are unsure what this means exactly. He approaches The Hilltop and comes to talk to Maggie or offer her something. Maggie seems uninterested, and the Hilltop looks like it is undergoing reconstruction. Those who have read the comics know that the presence of the Commonwealth may not mean that it is a good thing.

Overall, the production of The Walking Dead has gotten better with time. The Basement Walker scene with Aaron was amazing. At this point, Aaron has taken on the persona of a superhero as he keeps pushing his human limits; he has evolved on so many levels. Judith’s abilities have also improved, and she proves time and time again that she is Rick and Michonne’s daughter. Maggie’s ability to lead and her strength has transformed into a powerful force to reckon with. We see a complete pillar of determination with her and the other characters as well. The Walking Dead’s look has also transformed into a blockbuster theater experience. The sets are more extensive and have more depth, personality, and energy. The story expands with each episode, and the bricks are being laid to reveal Rick’s return. As the story develops, Daryl is more than the lone wolf. We see his ability to love, fight and survive among the harshest and trying of circumstances. Daryl’s love for holding on to his true family has ignited a light in him that cannot be easily extinguished. This episode is worth watching more than once.

I am looking forward to seeing what the rest of the season will bring with the hope of Rick and Michonne returning before the end of the season.  

Check out the trailer below:

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Candyman 2021 “Review”

Posted in Comic Book Movies, Fantasy literature, Horror Movies, New Movie reviews, Reviews, writing, tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , on September 3, 2021| Leave a Comment »

Warning Spoilers Below

Candyman 2021, directed by Nia DaCosta, written by Jordan Peele, and starring Yahya Abdul-Mateen II, appeared to be a retelling/sequel of the classic 1992 Horror film. The story follows artist Anthony McCoy, also known as the baby that was taken and almost sacrificed to Candyman in the original movie. Anthony’s goal is to become a prominent name in the art world. However, to reach his goal, he opens the door to resurrect Candyman through his artwork and loses himself and the life he has built with his girlfriend in the process.

Without trying to give too much away, I struggled to like this film. I tried because I loved the original, and I like Jordan Peele’s work. The storytelling process was a bit much, and I didn’t particularly appreciate how the writers tried to water down the legend that Tony Todd worked so hard to create. I was sitting on the edge of my seat the whole time, hoping to see Tony.  Honestly, the main reason why I wanted to see this film was that I was hoping to see Tony throughout the film, not just in the last five minutes.  The story about the baby being all grown up was a good concept, but it became lost when the writers attempted to recreate the story by adding “new Candymans” in the mix. The whole idea of trying to turn Anthony into Candyman wasn’t a good idea at all. The haunting elements that made this franchise so thrilling weren’t present. The story was overworked, and the kill scenes were just “blah.”  I will say that I was very excited when I saw Coleman Domingo (FEAR THE WALKING DEAD); however, when his character arc came full circle, it was just another letdown for me. The storyline was a little disjoined despite some elements from the original blended within. Although the cast was ok, I didn’t get that initial chemistry I usually see and discuss in my reviews. I was not too fond of the idea of multiple Candymans and one of them leaving candy on the floor before a victim succumbs to the hook. Another thing I didn’t like was how they tried to alter Daniel Robitaille’s (Candyman’s) origin story.

I still want fans of the original to see this film because it does make a great conversation piece. You will find yourself constantly comparing this new version to the original and analyzing the conceptual process of this film. Unfortunately, the film missed the mark for me, but maybe some new fans will come to like this version. I might attempt to watch it again once it is released on a streaming service.

I gave this film 2 ½ stars.

L.L.

Check out the trailer below:

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Wonder Woman 1984 Movie Review

Posted in Comic Book Movies, Fantasy literature, New Movie reviews, Reviews, Reviews, tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , on December 28, 2020| Leave a Comment »

by LaTaeya Lane

New Wonder Woman 1984 poster is totally '80s

Wonder Woman 1984, directed by Patty Jenkins and starring Gal Gadot and Kristen Wiig is the second installment in the Wonder Woman Film Franchise. This film focuses on how Diana tries to deal with the devesting loss of her one true love, Steve Trevor, while she attempts to find balance in other aspects of her life. As Diana faces her grief, she encounters a darkness that is unleashed upon the world that threatens humanity’s survival. Diana’s choices and the choices that others make around her have a domino effect upon Diana.

Warning: Spoilers Below:

 I must say that Gal Gadot is an amazing actress and I love her in her role as Wonder Woman. Kristen Wiig, as Barbara Minerva, did a fantastic job playing the female antagonist.  Both women were great in this film. They had a lot of great scenes together and had great chemistry.

The main problem with this film was the overall storyline and score: The writing was so disconnected from the time, and the story did not cohesively connect to Diana. The opening scene takes place in a Mall, and I felt like Wonder Woman taking on a mall robbery was more appropriate for Spiderman (excuse the Universe crossover) but Wonder Woman in a mall saving people is beneath her and her abilities.)

The whole concept centered around Max Lord could have been done in a more creative and balanced manner. I liked Pedro Pascal as the villain, but the idea of him consuming the powers of an ancient stone could have turned into one of the greatest superhero good versus evil concepts ever written. The movie fell so flat on so many levels with the writing aspect. I also felt that the directing was a bit disconnected. When people watch this film, or at least when I anticipated watching this film, I came in with the same high expectations that the first Wonder Women film and the Justice League films created and delivered.

I must admit that I was disappointed.

If you are going to put a year in the title of a film, then you better be prepared to present aspects of score and cinematography in a way that transports your audience to that time. The mall scene looked like a mall from the ’80s but I can’t recall any other important components that would bring me to that time. As an 80’s kid, I wanted to feel those happy feelings and see those sights that would bring me back there. This film missed the mark big time, especially with the music. The music in a movie is responsible for the entire mood of a movie. It brings emotions, magic, connections; it is the last puzzle that connects all the other pieces together and unfortunately WW84 did not deliver that.

I have mixed feelings about the fashion. Gal and Kristen’s costumes were amazing! I loved everything that was presented in the film with those two. Even Steven Trevor’s costumes looked good, (they did try too hard with his wardrobe changes. I even loved Diana’s armor. I just had a problem with the fact that Diana should have had that armor when she and her Justice League colleagues battled Steppenwolf. The use of the armor did not seem to fit the situation she was in.

Overall, I gave this movie three stars for my loyalty to Gal and the Wonder Woman Franchise. It’s worth watching since WW3 is in the works, as well as additional Justice League Franchise films. I just hope that they upgrade their writing team for the future.

L.L.

Check out the trailer below:

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Joker 2019 (Movie Review)

Posted in Comic Book Movies, Fantasy literature, New Movie reviews, Reviews, tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , on June 26, 2020| Leave a Comment »

Joker starring  Joaquin Phoenix, Robert De Niro and directed by Todd Phillips, tells the story of a Gotham City man Arthur Fleck as he attempts to achieve his dreams of becoming a standup comic while battling mental illness and struggling to find his place within a society that does not treat or accept him fairly.

I saw this movie opening weekend in October 2019, and then 5 more times after that. With so many things going on with work and grad school, I just did not have the time to review this film. This by far, I think is the best Joaquin Phoenix movie I have seen, in addition to one of the best movies of all time. There is something extremely deep about this film and the story behind it. There is such an odd connection that moviegoers have with the lead character Arthur. We see that he does his best to live a life that mainstream society may call, “normal”. Arthur works as an entertainer, trying to make ends meet, he takes care of his sick mother, and he is even receiving treatment and attempting to live with his inner struggles, by dealing with his mental illness, to the best of his ability. The character tries to deal with his issues as he displays independence and even attempts to have a relationship with a neighbor that appears to understand him, but overall the movie is not quite what it seems to be, at least through the main character’s eyes.

Arthur, as portrayed by Joaquin, is completely transformed into this the dark and complex character that we all thought we knew just through our background knowledge of the Batman comic book and film franchise but as we all know now, this film is a standalone movie but still artistically connects the historical relationship between the Wayne family and Arthur aka the Joker in a way that makes the two storylines blend together very well.

All the elements of this film are massive ingredients for a film success on so many levels. The visual representations were creative and authentic.  We were brought into the character’s world and underwent a journey of emotional experiences that enveloped a multitude of highs and lows, as well as revels shocking moments and moments of happiness and potential hope. This film has won several awards including a Golden Globe for Best Actor in a Motion Picture Drama and an Academy Award for Best Actor as well as an Academy Award for Best Original Score. The Score took me to that place where emotions dwell deep within, where questions about the structure of how our society appropriately and inappropriately deals with mental illness, bullying, and the differences among people. Joaquin Phoenix in conjunction with  Robert De Niro and the supporting cast all created a world where the moviegoer sees the world of mental illness, poverty and the other complexities of life including the horrors of child abuse and enabling as ongoing issues that need to be exposed and changed for the better to improve the quality of human life.

Overall, I gave this movie 5 stars

Joker is a great film.

L.L

Check out the trailer below…

Check out the Amazing Bathroom Dance song that received an award for Best Score.

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The Walking Dead Season 10 Premiere

Posted in Fantasy literature, Reviews, tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , on October 7, 2019| Leave a Comment »

Warning  Light Spoilers below…

Season 10 of The Walking Dead directed by Greg Nicotero picks up several months after the people of Alexandria suffered major losses at the hand of the Whisperers. The story continues as Rick’s legacy lives on within Alexandria. The communities band together to prepare for another battle.

Daryl and Carol once again make a deep-rooted connection while attempting to make plans to see what’s beyond the realm of Alexandria, Hilltop, Kingdom and Oceanside. MICHONNE learns that Judith is a lot stronger than she seems and realizes that her maturity level is more than she anticipated. The group faces a major challenge as they attempt to stay within the boundaries of the agreement between the communities and the Whisperers.

Overall this was a very enlightening episode that showcased the strength of many of the newcomers. Some of our favorite characters like Daryl are opening up more and making more connections with the community. Alpha’s daughter is trying to create a home for herself in the community while Negan continues to step out embracing humanity.

The flow of the episode was good and provided fans with the expectations and excitement of what our vision of a season 10 premiere should be. The opening scene was epic and the show displayed a great deal of elevation and evolution among characters, plot, setting, and mood. The Walking Dead has now stepped into the future of survival and has demonstrated what true unity means within the spectrum of humanity.

I can’t wait to see how this season unfolds.

L.L.

Check out the trailer below…

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SpiderMan Far From Home Movie Review

Posted in Fantasy literature, New Movie reviews, Reviews, tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , on July 11, 2019| Leave a Comment »

Marvel’s Spiderman Far From Home, starring Tom Holland and Jake Gyllenhaal tells the story of how a young Peter Parker and the world learns how to pick up the pieces of life without Ironman aka Tony Stark. Eager to go on a class trip to Europe, Peter plans to start living a normal life and finally decides to tell Mary Jane how he feels in hopes of inviting her to a romantic evening at the Eiffel Tower in Paris. His plans are quickly interrupted when he learns an evil villain has manifested halfway across the world to get Spiderman’s attention. Despite Peter’s efforts to ignore his calling from the legendary Nick Fury, Peter believes there is no chance to resurrect the once and thriving Avengers. A message sent by Tony put’s Peter’s life back in perspective, only for him to once again realize that it is still in his destiny to carry on Tony’s Heroic Legacy.

Spiderman Far From Home is an adventure thrill ride that brings forth the dawn of a new age of the Marvel comic films, while respectively giving fans closure for the loss of Ironman. It honors his heroism while still giving Spiderman the recognition he deserves to step in to be one of the sincerest heroes ever brought to life. The cast was great, and this movie returned the cinematic form of Spiderman into the beloved character we have loved in the comics for decades. Tom is a great Spiderman; this role was meant for him. Spiderman Far From Home is a great Midsummer Blockbuster film that fans will love. The humor, action, and the introduction of Mysterio was a breath of fresh air to the franchise.

I give this movie 5 stars, a rating that is deserving of a 21st century Marvel film.

L.L.

Check out the Trailer Below:

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Pet Sematary 2019 Movie Review

Posted in Fantasy literature, New Movie reviews, Reviews, tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , on April 7, 2019| Leave a Comment »

 

Pet Sematary, directed by Kevin Kolsch and Dennis Widmyer and starring Jason Clarke tells the story about a family that moves into a house and discovers an Ancient burial ground on their property. After ER doctor Louis has a paranormal experience working in the Emergency Room, Louis and his wife Rachel are haunted by two different ghostly creatures. Believing in the afterlife is the main theme of this film. Compared to the original film there were elements of it throughout the remake. The overall cinematic structure of the film was a dark homage to 80’s classic horror. The mood of the film mirrored that old-school feeling that scary movies gave off years ago. The actors onscreen chemistry were fitting and the writing was true to its originality. The effects did not overshadow the tone of the film. Overall the film was very entertaining and storyline convincing. However, I did feel that the movie was a bit short; like there is more story to tell, but something is missing. I would go for a prequel to this film and tell the story of how and who created that burial ground in the first place.  There is definitely more that can be created as a franchise feature. I highly recommend this film.

I gave this movie 4 stars.

L.L

Check out the trailer below:

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Captain Marvel Movie Review

Posted in Fantasy literature, New Movie reviews, Reviews, tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , on March 11, 2019| Leave a Comment »

Captain Marvel directed by Anna Boden, Ryan Fleck and starring Brie Larson tells the origin story of how a Kree Military agent becomes a superhero. Bound on an intergalactic mission to capture alien terrorists, Carol Danvers learns the truth about her past and understands how her past connects the future of the Universe. Brie plays a very stoic character that is determined to embrace the power she has to defeat the evils that surround her. Overall I thought that this movie was interesting but lacked the full development in the storytelling process. Carol’s storyline seemed to be all over the place and appeared pretty disjointed. As far as Brie holding her own as the leading lady in the film, she did a nice job with making the role her own. Visually the movie did not disappoint. The costume designs were fierce and for the most part, the supporting cast was well matched.  I thought Jude Law tried too hard to capture the essence of his character, but Ben Mendelsohn as Talos was one of my favorites. Carol and Fury had nice chemistry, and their relationship made me appreciate his character more. I did enjoy the movie very much, but I think the overall concept was rushed to be marketed to the apparent links that will surface in Avengers Endgame. I hope to see more and learn more about Carol’s story in a way that will put the pieces together more clearly.

I gave this movie 3 ½  stars.

L.L.

Check out the trailer below

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Jurassic World: The Fallen Kingdom Review by LaTaeya Lane

Posted in Fantasy literature, New Movie reviews, Reviews, tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , on June 26, 2018| 1 Comment »

Jurassic-World-Fallen-Kingdom-2018-movie-poster

Jurassic World: The Fallen Kingdom directed by J.A Bayona, produced by Legendary Entertainment and starring Chris Pratt and Bryce Dallas Howard is the sequel to the 2015 franchise rebirth film. This film takes place three years after the events of Isla Nublar. This time around the thriving dinosaurs are once again threatened toward extinction with the sudden eruption of a large volcano on the island.

Society has now tried to incorporate the fight of animals’ rights to include the once extinct dinosaurs. Claire, now an advocate for dinosaur rights is made an offer she can’t refuse as she is recruited to help rescue the dinosaurs from the deserted island. She then reaches out for her ex-love interest and raptor trainer, Owen to help with the rescue mission.

Before you know it, the two find themselves intertwined in a vicious plot that includes genetics specialists and other scientists that are out to weaponize the dinosaurs and potentially make billions of dollars in profit off the animals.

If you’re looking for a good action adventure to kick off the official summer season, then Jurassic World: The Fallen Kingdom is the film for you. This movie is a lot of fun to watch even though you are already going to expect certain elements when it comes to the franchise film.

I adore Chris Pratt in this role, but I also like Bryce Dallas Howard. I do feel like there was a little bit of disconnect between the two characters this time around but maybe that was intentional since the two did not end up together after the first film. There are some interesting new twists in this movie and some cool new dinosaurs.

When you really think about what science has become, it really is scary and not much entertaining. But I must say that the film was entertaining and exciting. The effects were better than ever, and you can definitely see how much CGI and digital film technology has improved the franchise and industry as a whole. I was very impressed by the visual representation throughout the movie.

Jeff Goldblum did make a cameo appearance, but like many moviegoers, I was disappointed in his lack of screen time. I wanted him to have a more prominent role in the film, but I understand the concept of infusing some of the past without losing the purpose of bringing the franchise into the future.

This movie should be on your summer watch list. I gave this film 4 stars.

L.L.

Check out the trailer below!

 

 

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