The Strangers Chapter 1

“The Strangers Chapter 1” is 2024 horror movie and prequel to the horror series “The Strangers”. It stars Madelaine Petsch (Riverdale), Ryan Bown (Everything I Know About Love), and Ema Horvath (What Lies Below).

A couple traveling stop in a remote town for a bite to eat, but upon leaving the diner, they find their care won’t start. They stay the night at a remote cabin, and also the only Airbnb in town, in hopes their car will be fixed by morning by a local mechanic. While staying at the cabin the young couple is terrorized by three masked intruders. They must try to escape before it’s too late.

This one follows the style of the other stranger movies by starting out with a knock on the door, followed by a cat and mouse game by the masked intruders. Even though I knew what was going to happen, it is still entertaining. They did a good job capturing the creepiness of the others and it sets itself up for the second chapter. While it isn’t as good as the original, it’s still worth watching. I give it a 7/10.

Civil War

“Civil War” is a 2024 Thriller/Action movie starring Kristen Dunst (Spider-Man), Wagner Moura (Narcos), Cailee Spaeny (Bad Times at the El Royale), Stephen McKinley Henderson (Law & Order), Jefferson White (Yellowstone), Nick Offerman (Parks and Recreation), and Jesse Plemons (Breaking Bad).

It’s modern day and the United States is ravaged by an ongoing civil war. Highways and interstates are almost impassable due to bombings, abandoned cars, and fire fight. Four reporters are determined to make the trek to Washington, D.C., behind enemy lines in order to interview the president, who no one has heard from in over a year.

I wasn’t totally sure what to expect going in, I just know the movie looked good. It’s an interesting watch, and what makes it so unnerving is a civil war is always a possibility. I believe it’s a slim possibility, but one none the less. It relies heavily on graphic fight scenes to drive the idea home that is always a possibility. It does get a little artsy in certain spots for me. It was different than what I was expecting, I was hoping it would be a little better than what it was, but it is an entertaining watch, and the acting is good. Overall, I give it a 7/10.

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.

A Christmas Horror Story

With Christmas being only a week away, let’s take a look at another Christmas movie. This one is for all you horror fans. “A Christmas Horror Story” is a 2015 horror movie starring William Shatner (Star Trek), George Buza (The Adventures of Sinbad), Zoe De Grand Maison (Riverdale), and Adrian Holmes (Bel-Air).

“A Christmas Horror Story” is about four interwoven stories all taking place on the same night. Santa fights his infected elves, a family gets more than they bargain for when picking out a Christmas tree, three teens get trapped in their school while investigating an old murder, and Krampus hunts down a naughty family.

There are a lot of Christmas horror movies out there, but the majority are not good. This one seems to be low budget. I think they spent all their money getting William Shatner. The special effects are horrible. There are a few parts where a massacre takes place, and the dead bodies are literal mannequins. Decapitated mannequin heads and all, not even close to looking real. The thing that saves this movie though is the stories themselves. A couple seem dumb at first but it all ties in at the end. Plus, it has a great twist at the very end, that I didn’t see coming. Even though the effects could have been a lot better, the story itself is very solid. I give it a 7/10.

Greater

“Greater” is 2016 is a sports biography drama/comedy starring Neal McDonough (Yellowstone), Leslie Easterbrook (The Devil’s Rejects), Fredric Lehne (American Horror Story), and Christopher Severio (Suit Up).

“Greater” is the true story about Brandon Burlsworth who was an offensive tackle for the Arkansas Razorbacks and is considered the greatest walk on in the history of college football.

I hadn’t heard of this movie before or the story of Brandon Burlsworth but I came across it on Tubi and it looked like it would be good, so I gave it a shot. It’s one of those motivational movies where against all odds the main character prevails by overcoming their past and whatever obstacles they face. It’s cheesy writing with the dialogue and very hallmark-esque. Even so, it’s still pretty good, and though you know the outcome that he ends up being a starter and one of the best walk-on’s ever, you still find yourself routing for Brandon. It’s not as good of a football movie as say “Invincible” or “Remember the Titans” but it still deserves its place among motivational sports movies. The acting from Severio and McDonough plus the story line makes it worth it. I give it a 7/10.

A Haunting in Venice

“A Haunting in Venice” is a 2023 mystery/thriller and the third installment of the Hercule Poirot detective movies based on the Agatha Christie novels. It follows “Murder on the Orient Express” and “Death on the Nile.” It has a star-studded cast starring Kenneth Branagh (Murder on the Orient Express), Michelle Yeoh (Crazy Rich Asians), Jamie Dornan (Fifty Shades of Grey), Tina Fey (Date Night), Riccardo Scamarcio (John Wick: Chapter 2), Jude Hill (Mandrake), and Kelly Reilly (Yellowstone).

Hercule Poirot (Branagh) is lured out of retirement by a longtime friend and author (Fey) to attend a seance to try and debunk a world renowned medium (Yeoh) on Halloween night. Everything is not as it seems as guests start turning up dead. Are people to blame or is it something more paranormal? Hercule Poirot is determined to get to the bottom of it before the night is over.

It’s like the other two as in it’s your basic who done it murder mystery with plenty of twists and turns thrown in to keep you guessing throughout who the murderer is. It’s darker and more gothic than the other two. It reminds me of a murder mystery mixed with “The Haunting in Connecticut.” It’s a little bit slower than the other two but still enjoyable as it does keep you guessing throughout what is really going on. If you’re a fan of the first two, you will enjoy this one as well. I give it a 7/10.

The Tutor

“The Tutor” is a 2023 thriller starring Noah Schnapp (Stranger Things), Victoria Justice (Victorious), and Garrett Hedlund (Four Brothers).

A professional tutor (Hedlund) takes on a mysterious wealthy new student (Schnapp), whose parents are paying him 1500 dollars a day to tutor. Seems like easy money, but soon the new student forms an unhealthy obsession with his tutor.

It’s a little of a slow burn at first. Nothing exciting or major happens and you think to yourself is this it? However, about halfway in things start to get dark, and it takes off fast. Noah Schnapp pretty much plays the same character as his character Will in “Stranger Things”, but maybe just a little more unhinged. Will isn’t exactly emotionally stable in “Stranger Things” either though. Both Hedlund and Schnapp play their characters well, although Hedlund is a little bit better. Overall, it’s a good watch. I wish it was a little faster paced in the beginning but still worth the watch as it engages and draws you in the second half. I give it a 7/10.

Barbarian

“Barbarian” is a 2022 horror movie starring Georgina Campbell (Black Mirror), Bill Skarsgard (It), and Justin Long (Tusk).

A woman rents an Airbnb for a night while in Detroit for a job interview. When she arrives, she finds a stranger who is already in the house and has also rented it for the same night. The two quickly find out not everything is as it seems with the house, and there is something very sinister also inhabiting the Airbnb.

This is an interesting movie. Halfway through they switch up the direction it’s going and go another way. Most movies, especially horror movies, I can generally figure out, but this one does a good job of guessing what is going on. It has a good blend of suspense and horror. I feel they could have done more with the creature living in the Airbnb and made the movie scarier, but overall, it’s a good watch. Plus, I love the random horror movies Justin Long appears in, he always does a great job. I give it a 7/10.

Renfield

“Renfield” is a 2023 horror/comedy/action movie starring Nicholas Hoult (Warm Bodies), Nicolas Cage (Vampire’s Kiss), and Awkwafina (Crazy Rich Asians).

Renfield (Hoult) is Dracula’s (Cage) familiar who does all his bidding. He starts to think there is a better life out there and starts going to codependent classes to help deal with his relationship with Dracula. Renfield has his own powers by feasting on bugs. While at a restaurant he gets caught up in middle of a mob shootout, instead of sitting idly by, he feasts on his bugs and stops the mob while saving a female cop (Awkwafina) in the process. Now Renfield finds new confidence to help him start a new life and leave Dracula. Only problem, is Dracula isn’t happy about it. So, now he has the mob plus Dracula are after him.

I was excited when the trailers first dropped for this one, but it wasn’t in theaters long enough for me to go see it. So, when it came out in Redbox I went and got it the same day. Nicholas Cage has come full circle, from thinking he’s a vampire in “Vampire’s Kiss” to playing Dracula in “Renfield”, and I love that. It looks hilarious, and it also stars Nicholas Hoult, who I love in “Warm Bodies.” So, how does it stack up to expectations?

First, it’s different than I thought. It looked like it would be a lot funnier than it was. Awkwafina is a funny comic, so adding her you would think it would be funnier than it is. It has an occasional funny joke, here and there, but that’s about it. Mostly the funny parts are on the trailer. It’s more action based, it is chalked full of fight scenes, most of them pretty gory. You get to see Hoult rip a guy’s arms off and beat everyone with them. Not to mention stomping and literally ripping people in half. Which I’m a fan of unique kill/gory fight scenes, so I’m all for it. Just wasn’t expecting it. Nicholas Cage and Hoult both play their parts great. Even though it’s not as much a horror comedy but more an action movie, it is still entertaining and worth watching. I give it a 7/10.