Rage (1972)
A Brisk, Infuriating Tale of Bureaucratic Corruption
★★★☆☆
Watched 13 Jan 2025 — A satisfying thriller that channels raw grief into a vengeful strike against institutional indifference.
Monday, January 13, 2025
Wednesday, January 08, 2025
Terrifier 3 - Review A Bold, Biblical Evolution of the Splatter Slasher
Terrifier 3
A Bold, Biblical Evolution of the Splatter Slasher
★★★☆☆
Arguably the best entry yet, balancing industrial-scale gore with a surprising theological depth.
Monday, January 06, 2025
A Different Man - Review - A Darkly Comic Exploration of Identity and the "Cure"
A Different Man
A Darkly Comic Exploration of Identity and the "Cure"
★★★½☆
An unconventional morality tale that finds the sweet spot between black comedy and dramatic realism.
Sunday, January 05, 2025
Alien Romulus - Review: A Visceral, Nostalgic Interquel That Honors the Roots
Alien: Romulus
A Visceral, Nostalgic Interquel That Honors the Roots
★★★☆☆
A game attempt at re-invigoration that succeeds in craft but stumbles on franchise tropes.
Directed by horror maestro Fede Álvarez, Alien: Romulus attempts to bridge the gap between the original 1979 masterpiece and its action-heavy 1986 sequel. The film is aesthetically handsome, utilizing physical sets and practical effects to capture the "oil rig in space" grit of the first entry. While Cailee Spaeny delivers a charismatic performance as Rain Carradine, the film struggles to make us care for the rest of the "dead meat" crew. It hits high notes with innovative set pieces, but occasionally feels weighed down by the "tired and worn out" tropes of a 45-year-old franchise.
"Alvarez really succeeds by elevating the material with his new concepts... Stand out moments include a zero gravity action sequence and a truly disturbing third act nemesis that will legitimately give some viewers nightmares."— Ray Manukay
🎬 Cast & Crew
- Director: Fede Álvarez
- Starring: Cailee Spaeny, David Jonsson, Archie Renaux
- Cinematography: Galo Olivares
- Production Design: Naaman Marshall
The Vision
Álvarez leans heavily into "technological production design" and practical craftsmanship, even seeking out crew members from the original Aliens to ground the VFX. The film’s "zero-g" blood-combat sequence and the introduction of a new cross-species abomination prove there is still "mileage left in these monsters." However, the reliance on familiar chest-bursting shocks and "classic lines" keeps the film from reaching a "truly special" status, serving more as a high-quality tribute than a total reinvention.
🎬 Cinephile Fun Facts
- Practical Nightmares: The terrifying "Offspring" in the final act was played by 7'7" Romanian basketball player **Robert Bobroczkyi** in a suit.
- Gaming Influence: Álvarez included "Emergency" save phones as an Easter egg to the 2014 game *Alien: Isolation*, which he used as a tonal reference point.
- Legacy Consult: Both **Ridley Scott** and **James Cameron** were consulted during production and gave the film their approval.
- Timeline Fix: The film is an "interquel," taking place in 2142—exactly 20 years after the original *Alien* and 37 years before *Aliens*.
✅ Pros
- Innovative Zero-G action choreography.
- Stunning, practical creature and production design.
- A "truly disturbing" and memorable third-act climax.
❌ Cons
- "Tired and worn out" franchise tropes.
- Supporting characters feel like "collective dead meat."
- Lacks the "shock value" of earlier entries.
🏆 Final Verdict
A handsomely crafted return to form that serves as a visceral bridge for the franchise. It’s an effective horror experience that just needs a bit more soul in its secondary characters.
View original review on LetterboxdWednesday, January 01, 2025
Terrifier 2 -Review: An Overstuffed, Brutal Marathon of Practical Gore
Terrifier 2
An Overstuffed, Brutal Marathon of Practical Gore
★★½☆☆
A grueling endurance test of realistic effects that struggles under a massive runtime.
Art the Clown returns in a sequel that leans heavily into supernatural lore, involving mystical swords and a demonic "Little Pale Girl." While director Damien Leone (again, often cited as Lewis) attempts to inject narrative prestige with a massive 138-minute runtime, the film mostly serves as a canvas for "top-notch" morbid and brutal special effects. The introduction of Lauren LaVera as Sienna provides an intriguing anchor to the carnage, but the experience ultimately feels like it’s missing the energy of a "midnight movie" crowd to truly land its grotesque appeal.
"The truth is most horror fans probably just want to fast forward all the story stuff just to get to the gory parts to analyze and dissect the special effects. As for my excuse, I wanted to complete part 2 to get to the viral much buzzed about part 3."— Ray Manukay
🎬 Cast & Crew
- Director/Writer/Editor: Damien Leone
- Starring: Lauren LaVera, David Howard Thornton, Elliott Fullam
- Runtime: 2h 18m
- Genre: Supernatural Slasher / Splatter
The Vision
Leone expands the Terrifier universe by transitioning Art from a human killer to a demonic entity with "unique torture porn" sequences that push the boundaries of the genre. By centering the story on Sienna, Leone creates a "franchise heroine" who can match Art's visceral presence. However, the film's "ridiculous" length risks alienating those who aren't specifically there to analyze the technical artistry of the "grotesque dismantling" of the human form.
🎬 Cinephile Fun Facts
- Crowdfunded Success: The film's $250,000 budget was largely raised via Indiegogo, proving the massive underground following of the franchise.
- Sienna's Design: The protagonist's iconic "Valkyrie" costume was designed by Damien Leone himself and hand-crafted by Lauren LaVera.
- Viral Phenomenon: The film became a sleeper hit after reports of audience members vomiting and fainting in theaters went viral.
- The Bedroom Scene: The film's most infamous sequence reportedly took over a week to film due to the complexity of the practical effects.
✅ Pros
- Lauren LaVera's breakout performance as Sienna.
- Industry-leading practical gore and special effects.
- Elevates the "Art the Clown" mythos into something bigger.
❌ Cons
- Exceedingly long "ridiculous" runtime.
- Story beats can feel like filler between kills.
- Tough to recommend for anyone but hardcore gore-hounds.
🏆 Final Verdict
A technical triumph for practical effects fans that overstays its welcome narrative-wise. It is a mandatory, if exhausting, bridge to the superior third chapter.
View original review on Letterboxd
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