Abigail

“Abigail” is a 2024 horror movie starring Melissa Barrera (Scream VI), Dan Stevens (Beauty and the Beast), Alisha Weir (Matilda: the Musical), Kathryn Newton (Lisa Frankenstein), Kevin Durand (Smokin’ Aces), and Giancarlo Esposito (Breaking Bad).

Six criminals who are the best in their field are hired to kidnap a twelve-year-old girl and hold her 24 hours in a safe house for a hefty ransom. The kidnapping goes smoothly, but once they’re in the safe house, the criminals quickly realize they are locked in, and they are not locked in with an ordinary little girl. Instead, they are locked in with a vampire who is intent on making each one of them her meal. Now it becomes a matter of survival for the six criminals.

I’m a sucker for a good vampire film (no pun intended), only problem is, vampire films tend to be very hit or miss. This one has a unique story line, with having a little girl as the blood thirsty monster. It’s a vampire flick mixed with the “Usual Suspects”, a who’s who of sorts, but it’s easy to figure out what’s going on in this one. Still, it’s super enjoyable. The casting is great, two of the characters I found super annoying, but they died early on so it’s okay. The remaining ones play their parts great, especially Weir, Newton, and Durand. Enough can’t be said for these three. It’s pretty fast paced once they realize the little girl is a vampire. It’s filled with brutal and bloody killings, which always makes for good cinema. It’s an entertaining watch, and a win for vampire films. I give it a 7.5/10.

Monkey Man

“Monkey Man” is a 2024 action/thriller with producer Jordan Peele. It stars Dev Patel (Slumdog Millionaire), Pitobash (Million Dollar Arm), Sikandar Kher (Monica, O My Darling), Sobhita Dhulipala (Major), and Makrand Deshpande (Liger).

A poor Indian man who works at an underground boxing club as the Monkey Man, a man who fights in a monkey mask, works his way up in society to take down a corrupt regime and the man responsible for his mother’s death.

This was a lot different than I was expecting it to be. It’s pretty much a John Wick style movie with a better back story. The first half or so is a little slow with a lot of flashbacks. Which is understandable as it is laying the setting of his current life and his childhood trauma with what happened to his mom. The second half though when it gets to the revenge part of the movie, it takes off hard. It is filled with good bloody fight scenes and unique kill scenes, which I personally love. Overall, it’s a very solid movie that is brought together in the end. The acting is good all-around and it’s worth checking out. I give it a solid 8/10.

Road House (2024)

“Road House” is an Amazon Prime 2024 action/thriller that is a remake of the 1989 cult classic with the same name. This one stars Jake Gyllenhaal (Nightcrawler), MMA fighter Conor McGregor, Jesssica Williams (Booksmart), Billy Magnussen (Game Night), Lukas Gage (You), and superstar Post Malone.

Ex MMA fighter (Gyllenhaal) with a troubled past takes a job as a bouncer in the Florida Keys at a bar called the Road House. The owner (Williams) is having troubles and is hoping her new bouncer can clean up the place.

The original “Road House” is a classic, but honestly it’s pretty cheesy. The only reason it’s still so popular is because of Patrick Swayze and Sam Elliott, but they make it great in its cheesy way. This new one follows the original story line but also adds its own special twist on it. It’s like “Road House” on steroids mashed with “John Wick.” It is full of fight scenes and action, it’s great. Jake Gyllenhaal pulls off a phenomenal performance. I was worried about McGregor, I wasn’t sure how well he would do and questioned that casting. He nails his part as well, I think he just runs around and acts like himself, but he nails it. This is a much watch for anyone who is a fan of the original or just looking for great action flick. I give it a 10/10

Imaginary

“Imaginary” is a 2024 horror and Blumhouse’s newest movie. It stars DeWanda Wise (Jurassic World Dominion), Taegen Burns (Blue Ridge), Pyper Braun (Erin & Aaron), and Betty Buckley (Split).

A mom (Wise), husband and her two step kids (Burns, and Braun) purchase, and move back to the mother’s childhood home. Her youngest stepdaughter (Braun) makes a new imaginary friend. While it seems innocent at first, it is soon reveled the imaginary friend has much more sinister intentions.

I went into this movie cold, not really knowing much about it, but if it’s a horror movie, especially by Blumhouse there’s a good chance I’m going to see it. It surpassed my expectations. It’s not exactly scary, but it is creepy. It gives you sense of unease through the entire movie, which is very hard to do. My only real issue with the film is its pacing, the first half or so is on the boring side, but once it takes off, it goes hard with the creepiness. The story is unique, and overall, it’s a great watch for any horror fan. Even with the slow start I still give it an 8/10.

Pawn Shop Chronicles

“Pawn Shop Chronicles” is a 2013 action/comedy/thriller with an impressive cast starring Paul Walker (The Fast and the Furious), Elijah Wood (The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring), Matt Dillion (You, Me and Dupree), Vincent D’Onofrio (Full Metal Jacket), DJ Qualls (The New Guy), Norman Reedus (The Walking Dead), and Brendan Fraser (The Whale).

“Pawn Shop Chronicles” is an anthology featuring three different stories revolving around a pawn shop. It features a man who finds his wife’s ring who he believes to be dead, and it results on him going on a wild chase. A meth head who sells his shotgun, and it turns out he needs it. Finally, an Elvis impersonator who is just looking for a lucky break and sells his gold chain that he claims was owned by the King himself.

I haven’t heard of this movie before, but I saw it on Tubi and gave it a shot only because of the loaded cast. I wasn’t sure what to expect, so I didn’t have a bar set going in. The movie and stories are pretty crazy. There’s violence, explosions, blood, and comedy. It even has Brendan Fraser as Elvis, it has it all. All the stories are intertwined, which I always find cool when movies do that. It’s a good hidden gem. I give it a 7/10.

Lisa Frankenstein

“Lisa Frankenstein” is a 2024 Dark Comedy/Horror starring Kathryn Newton (Freaky), Liza Soberano (Forevermore), Carla Gugino (Gerald’s Game), Joe Chrest (Stranger Things), and Cole Sprouse (The Suite Life of Zack & Cody).

Lisa (Newton) is an outcast who has to move to a new school, new house, and has to start a new life her senior year in high school after her mom was brutally murdered in a home invasion in front of Lisa. No one seems to get her, that is until an old cemetery she likes to hang out in is struck by lightning. The lightning reanimates a corpse (Sprouse) from the 1800s. Now Lisa must hide the reanimated corpse from being discovered all while he becomes a little to protective over Lisa.

The movie takes place in 1989, and they do an excellent job of nailing the 80s. Right down to the quirkiness of the movie, that 80 movies were known for. Even though Tim Burton didn’t direct this movie, it has his feel. It has the offbeat, quirky, gothic feel that he is known for. Think of “Edward Scissor Hands.” It has the same feel. Even Newton and Sprouse look like a young Helena Bonham Carter and Johhny Depp in this. It surpassed my expectations. It’s a lighthearted, dark comedy that’s worth checking out. I give it a 7/10.

The Beekeeper

“The Beekeeper” is a 2024 Action movie starring Jason Statham (The Transporter), Emmy Raver-Lampman (The Umbrella Academy), Bobby Naderi (Bright), Josh Hutcherson (Five Nights at Freddy’s), and Jeremy Irons (House of Gucci).

Jason Statham is a beekeeper who has rented a space from an elderly lady where he can take care of his bees and jar his honey. His elderly landlord is targeted by sophisticated scamming organization that targets the elderly. After they drain all her accounts, including an account she has for a charity, she ends up taking her own life. Jason Statham is not just only a beekeeper in the literal sense but also part of a highly classified outfit known as the beekeepers. It is one of the deadliest outfits in the entire world. Now Jason Statham is going to take the entire scamming outfit down no matter how deep it runs.

This movie is classic Jason Statham. It’s nonstop fighting the entire movie and it doesn’t slow down. It’s creative and the story line is good. Sure, it has it’s not very believable moments, and cheesy moments, but what action movie doesn’t? It’s not meant to be a deep film. You have to take it at face value, Jason Statham running around killing a bunch of people. I’m a big Jason Statham fan, I love the majority of his movies, and this is one of his better ones. I give it an 8/10.

The Last Exit

“The Last Exit” is a 2023 original thriller by Tubi, it stars Joely Richardson (Nip/Tuck), Neil Linpow (One More Shot), Sadie Soverall (Saltburn), and Harry Cadby (Red Rose).

Two brothers wind up at the door of a farmhouse on a stormy night. One is on the brink of death, and both are on the run with a duffle bag full of money. Little do they know, this house may be more trouble than what they are already in.

I love Tubi, there is so many hidden treasures to be found. However, they aren’t really known for their original movies. Most are Hallmarkesque at best. This one is a hidden gem. The acting is solid, the story is good, and it is filled with enough twists to keep you guessing. It’s dark but not overdone. You know something wrong is going on, but you can’t really put your finger on the extent of it until the very end. It’s a great watch for any thriller fan. Well done, Tubi. I give it an 8/10.

Night Swim

First review of a movie from 2024, let’s get to it! “Night Swim” is 2024 horror/thriller from Blumhouse, it stars Wyatt Russell (Black Mirror), Kerry Condon (Better Call Saul), Amelie Hoeferle (The Hunger Games: The Ballad of Songbirds & Snakes), and Gavin Warren (Fear the Walking Dead).

A former MLB player (Russell) is trying to make a comeback but has been diagnosed with MS. He and his family move to a new house with a pool to help out with his water therapy. Little do they know the pool has a dark past. Soon they’ll find out exactly what dark secret the water is hiding.

First horror movie of 2024, so you know I’m going to see it. The reviews haven’t been very good, so I went in with the bar pretty low. It’s actually a pretty decent movie. I don’t think Blumhouse has put out a bad movie. The acting is pretty solid. It reminds me of if the Amityville Horror got a swimming pool. The dad slowly descends into madness due to the pool. I wish it went a little more in depth of exactly why the pool is haunted, it touches on it briefly, but that’s about it. Overall, it’s about as good as a movie can be about a haunted pool. I give it a 6.5/10.

Murder Hotel

First review of 2024, I’m kicking it off with a review of the 2015 documentary “Murder Hotel.” This documentary takes a look at H.H. Holmes and his infamous murder hotel.

If you’re not familiar with H.H. Holmes, he is considered to be America’s first serial killer. He is one of the lesser talked about serial killers but is one of the more gruesome ones, and probably the highest kill count. He built a three-story hotel in Texas for the world’s fair when it was in town. He had his hotel designed to make killing easier for him. Including a safe that pumped gas into it, floors that would drop into shafts, and a basement designed for dissecting and chopping up his victims.

It’s an interesting documentary. He did his killings in the late 1800’s and there are wax cylinders that still exist today that have him admitting to some of his killings. He only admitted to 27, but studies suggest the number was more around 200. It’s mind boggling something so fragile but important survived all these years. The documentary goes in depth of why he did it, and the timeline of when he did it using some of these wax cylinder recordings. I found it very interesting, but I feel like it only scratched the surface. I would have liked it to go more in depth about the hotel itself, into the mind of H.H. Holmes, and even more into the wax cylinder recordings. What exactly made him tick? It explained why he did it for monetary gain, but it didn’t go in depth beyond that. Maybe it’s hard to go much further into depth since it was so long ago, and the hotel itself isn’t around anymore. It makes an interesting watch though, and it’s mind boggling that a place like that really once existed. I give it a 6.5/10.