#ScaryMovieSquad

[pjcampbell]

So...I got a random package on my doorstep. I opened it, and would you look at that...I’m a pop vinyl. 🥺 a late birthday gift from @cinemaxwellinc that is so beyond perfect...wow. Thank you, my friend. ❤️. . . . . #pjsphotoadventure #life #memories #smile #photooftheday #picoftheday #feelinggood #contentcreator #youtuber #podcasting #goodtimes #goodvibes #funkopop #customfunkopop #customfunko #tanukistudio #scarymoviesquad https://www.instagram.com/p/CLH1LNbjrfo/?igshid=mezrh8to2n9h

[wearemovieclub-blog]

#ScaryMovieSquad Review: Alien: Covenant

Format: Live Action

Applicable Settings: Modern Applicable Genre: Horror, Science Fiction

Hit or Skip:  Hit! This is probably the movie everyone was expecting when Prometheous was released.

General: While this is a great origin story for the traditional xenomorph that we love to hate, it feels like this movie is full of double edge swords.  It's cool to have more androids, but they look the same so it's disorienting (by design), we get to see a newly habitable planet, but there is xenomorphic spores, we have a crew bright enough to travel through space and terraform a planet, but they can't perform their jobs well enough to be safe.  Thankfully, horror movies are fueled by stupid.

Aesthetics:  90 There is some great CG for the neo/xeno morphs and face huggers, and Engineer scenes.  They even did a good job with the androids, not only did they manage to do a decent missing hand, but when Fassbender was kung fu fighting Fassbender, it was done surprisingly well.  I had some issues with the ship designs, but the planet looks great and each scene feels like how it should for the scene. Storyline:  40 I actually like the ending, but the fact that the android is a homicidal maniac in the first place still bothers me.  The characters are so stupid for most of the movie there's not much plot to concentrate on.  It really is a continuation of David's story and it sucks, I hate that android.  I'm realising the actual lack of plot hear other than humans to planet, humans to android, aliens to humans, aliens to ship.  This is actually a good example of a movie that is good because it supports other movies. Character Development:  40 As much as I should be complaining that all the humans are underdeveloped (even the ones for which we did have development had worthless exposition), with the lack of story it doesn't matter past the point that the audience has no investment in their deaths.  My biggest investment reaction to a death in the movie was, "Ohhh, the hot girl died......well, get her head out of the water".  At the same time, building off of the last movie, David is overdeveloped to the point of being boring, and the Engineers (who aren't really in the story) even go some development to accent the android's. Compulsion:  70 I remember liking the movie: it's cool to see the action, the aliens, the origins, but half of the movie is built off the first, some of the rest is built from traditional xenomorphs.  But it is fun to see these idiots try to survive the movie. Final Score:  60 -Kamurai

References: IMDB: https://www.imdb.com/title/tt2316204/?ref_=nv_sr_1 Wikipedia: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alien:_Covenant

General references: Rabbit: http://rabb.it/Kamurai Youtube: http://youtube.com/WeAreMovieClub Playlist: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PL7AobbsQMTr_fqp93TlcSzT-IGDtBF7R3

[wearemovieclub-blog]

#ScaryMovieSquad Review: Prometheus

Format: Live Action

Applicable Settings: Future Applicable Genre: Horror, Science Fiction

Hit or Skip:  Hit! Fun to see where Xenomorphs started.

General: This is a good attempt at an origin story for classic sci-fi horror movie.  

Aesthetics:  91 This movie looks great, and you can tell they put high consideration into the design of alien creatures as they had to be similar enough to their future counterparts to be recognizable, but different enough to be recognized as ancestors of the same. Storyline:  60 An expedition team going to an unknown planet to discover pre-human existence is a little bit of a weak premise if not for the slew of nonsense that goes wrong once they go planetside.  I'd give more credit to the written calamities if 90% of the movie wan't driven by the android's treachery which isn't (especially at this point in the franchise) surprising or moving. Character Development:  40 An unfortunate side effect to look for in movies is just useless unmemorable characters: this tends to happen when all the characters are going to die.  Writers don't feel the need to development them properly if they are just there to die, but that also means that the characters don't mean anything when they die so the entire point to the character equates to nothing.  The android has the most development out of the rest of the cast combined, including Shaw. Compulsion:  80 Looking past the characters, or at least focusing on their more entertaining bits, there are lots of interesting bits of foreshadowing and refrences to the rest of the franchise.  The 3 iconic scenes for this would be worth watching the movie for, but they're comparatively short. Final Score:  67.75 -Kamurai

References: IMDB: https://www.imdb.com/title/tt1446714/ Wikipedia: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Prometheus_(2012_film)

General references: Rabbit: http://rabb.it/Kamurai Youtube: http://youtube.com/WeAreMovieClub Playlist: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PL7AobbsQMTr_fqp93TlcSzT-IGDtBF7R3

[wearemovieclub-blog]

#ScaryMovieSquad Review: Alien versus Predator: Requiem

Format: Live Action Applicable Settings: Modern Applicable Genre: Horror, Science Fiction

Hit or Skip:  Hit! This has everything good about the first AVP, plus a slow burn.

General: While AVP took a lot less to start it's action than most of the franchise, it takes a very slow approach to building up momentum.  Even AVP sort of "drops the hammer" as opposed to the slow burning fire of Requiem.  Adding the new Predator-Xenomorph really changees the movie, both mechanically and plot-wise.

Aesthetics:  90 The Predator based Xenomorph (especially that it's technically a queen) is amazing, and the visuals around its birthing process are more than sufficiently creepy.  The setting of a small town both gives us the idea of what these creatures would be like taking over the planet and finally expands the experience to something larger than jigsaw type group trap.  All the same CG and practical effect qualities from the first movie apply to the sequel and then some.  Having the Wolf (the Predator who comes to Terra) even allows for a little interplanetary travel. Storyline:  85 There isn't much of a story past the premise: a Predator-Xenomorph crashes on Terra and infects a little town in Colorado.  Having the Wolf come in to allows for the barest amount of actual plot as he investigates and attempts to exterminate the infestation.  The humans surviving the incident almost seems like more of an unwanted by product to the main plot, and still the story, the infestation, is all constructed as an engaging, entertaining piece of movie. Character Development:  51 This barely passes the development bar: Wolf grows as he investigates and fights this new prey, but the most development the humans have is the spoil rich blonde girl that decides it's better not to bang a psychopath and maybe a guy that is obsessed with her. Compulsion:  92 The movie is interesting from start to finish.  I love the strategic elements of puzzling out how to survive this situation, and the Predator-Xenomorph is fascinating.  This is definitely my favoritie Predator situation and the most interesting Xenomorph movie I've seen. Final Score:  79.5 -Kamurai

References: IMDB: http://www.imdb.com/title/tt2597892/ Wikipedia: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Viral_(2016_American_film) Netflix: https://www.netflix.com/title/80076415

General references: Rabbit: http://rabb.it/Kamurai Youtube: http://youtube.com/WeAreMovieClub Playlist: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PL7AobbsQMTr_fqp93TlcSzT-IGDtBF7R3

[wearemovieclub-blog]

#ScaryMovieSquad Review: Predators

Format: Live Action Applicable Settings: Modern Applicable Genre: Horror, Science Fiction, Action

Hit or Skip:  Skip! Despite several points that should make this more interesting, I don't think this lands.

General: Despite several vast improvements, the movie doesn't quite get to where I want it to be.  Having several Predators, with tech advantage, and animal assistance makes the movie feel ridiculously one sided despite the humans being armed up.  Really this is a convoluted version of Saw 2 with everyone stuck in a death trap, but with all the nuasances revealed.

Aesthetics:  85 They took a return to formula of using the forest as a setting, but making it as distinctive as they did the city in the 2nd movie.  The invisibility cg has gotten immensly better by this point, and there are several details in the scenes and creatures that make the movie pop at points. Storyline:  51 They're (literally) dropped onto a planet to be hunted, they're hunted, they fight back and a couple of them make it through alive, but don't escape the planet.  Barely enough of a story. Character Development:  51 Each person is pretty much the stereotype that they are found with.  I literally just referred to them as Leader, Minigun, Sniper, African.  The only twists were the Predators fighting one another, and the Doctor thinking he understood Predator culture at all. Compulsion:  60 There we some great moments of spectacle throughout the movie, but most of the interest in the movie was puzzling out how they could survive and what to do in the situation.  The results didn't do much for me. Final Score:  61.75 -Kamurai

References: IMDB: https://www.imdb.com/title/tt1424381/ Wikipedia: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Predators_(film)

General references: Rabbit: http://rabb.it/Kamurai Youtube: http://youtube.com/WeAreMovieClub Playlist: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PL7AobbsQMTr_fqp93TlcSzT-IGDtBF7R3

[wearemovieclub-blog]

#ScaryMovieSquad Review: Predator 2

Format: Live Action Applicable Settings: Modern Applicable Genre: Horror, Science Fiction, Action

Hit or Skip:  Skip! Having a Predator hunting in the city, just sounds stupid.

General: I'm amazed at how almost every aspect of this movie got better, but resulted in a worse movie.  Maybe it's the loss of suspense or we can just blame the human element.

Aesthetics:  70 While the city is a more exciting place and allows for more human variety, it's almost as faceless as the jungle and somehow less intricate.  In addition, while the Predator looks a little better here, he looks goofy with a city backdrop, like he's a ninja turtle or something. Storyline:  60 There is actual story here: the agency has been tracking Predator activity, and Danny Glover's team is hunting the Predator out for it's murders.  The latter goes south and pivots into the first, but there's an actual story here that links the first movie and sets up for a sequel. Character Development:  51 Danny Glover certainly goes for a ride, but his team goes from dealing with one criminal to another, and the spooky agency is just that. Compulsion:  49 I don't know what is about the Predators that leaves me underwhelmed.  Having one Predator killing weak humans that aren't prepared isn't fun, (from the first movie) having capable fodder agains the Predator isn't fun, but having the Xenomorphs as an overwhelming force is.  It must be something to do with the setting of a City where all this craziness attracts no attention. Final Score:  57.5 -Kamurai

References: IMDB: https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0100403/?ref_=fn_al_tt_1 Wikipedia: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Predator_2

General references: Rabbit: http://rabb.it/Kamurai Youtube: http://youtube.com/WeAreMovieClub Playlist: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PL7AobbsQMTr_fqp93TlcSzT-IGDtBF7R3

[wearemovieclub-blog]

#ScaryMovieSquad Review: Predator

Format: Live Action Applicable Settings: Modern Applicable Genre: Horror, Science Fiction, Suspense

Hit or Skip:  Skip! As classic as it may be, ultimately the pacing is off and it ruins the investment for me.

General: I got bored with all 3 acts of this movie: the guerilla act, the hunted act, and the hunting act.  I honestly don't know what the disconnect is unless it's that the Predator is presented as a beatable foe with the air of indomittable monster.

Aesthetics:  80 While invisibility CG is a favorite of mine, this was really before it was good.  That combined with the goofy looking practicals makes the predator more funny that menacing.  The unidentifiable jungle is also a bad setting as you can't tell how far anyone gets to run, and there is zero investiment in trying to track where anything is happening.  The action is well laid out and somewhat exciting.  The thermal vision is a fun way to play with the visuals. Storyline:  51 What story?  There was a story about this CIA guy that tricked these soldiers into the jungle that gets abandonded for the "We're being hunted" action.  From there it's "we fought, we won, let's go get a burger".  That said, the action toybox part of the movie is laid out well, until the suspense toybox kicks in and the pace slows to a crawl as they hunt each other. Character Development:  30 It's really hard to do character development when most of your cast is dead.  Arnold, the nameless lady, and the predator get the lion's share, but it's mostly survival / hunting development. Compulsion:  49 This is just on the underside of interesting enough for me.  It feels silly that a human would be able to evenly go hand to hand with a Predator, the Predators obviously don't see in thermal naturally, and how long would it take for the Predator to give up or move on once it can't find him? Final Score:  52.5 -Kamurai

References: IMDB: https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0093773/?ref_=fn_al_tt_2 Wikipedia: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Predator_(film)

General references: Rabbit: http://rabb.it/Kamurai Youtube: http://youtube.com/WeAreMovieClub Playlist: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PL7AobbsQMTr_fqp93TlcSzT-IGDtBF7R3

[wearemovieclub-blog]

#ScaryMovieSquad Review: Alien Resurrection

Format: Live Action Applicable Settings: Modern Applicable Genre: Horror, Science Fiction

Hit or Skip:  Hit! A great late 90's take on Alien.

General: I honestly think this is my favorite Alien movie.  It's just goofy and weird enough with multiple twists to keep the movie interesting and refreshing.

Aesthetics:  88 This is probably the first movie that uses cg xenomorphs to any degree of success.  The space scenes look great and the pratical work with the creatures is well done.  The underwater scene (though I'm unsure why it exists) is downright beautiful. Storyline:  85 While the premise that any organization would still want to try to weaponize the xenomorphs is ludicrous, the involvement of the mercs, having a super Ripley on board and Carl's infiltration make a for a great multi-threaded story inside a floating kill box. Character Development:  88 The movie is 0filled with philosophical purpose centered on what it is to be, whether it's human, clone, or android, and the survival of society.  Even finding Terra in the state it's in when they get there feels like a statement on what the point of survival is without preserving some quality of life. Compulsion:  90 Winona Ryder as Carl does a fantastic job, and its a role like Carl's that helps the movie be as off beat as it is for me to enjoy it as much as I do.  The xenomorphs are threatening and the team is capable, which helps make an immersive story.  Adding all the new scenes and creature scenarios helps freshen the Alien story at a time when it needed it. Final Score:  87.75 -Kamurai

References: IMDB: http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0118583/?ref_=nv_sr_1 General references: Rabbit: http://rabb.it/Kamurai Youtube: http://youtube.com/WeAreMovieClub Playlist: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PL7AobbsQMTr_fqp93TlcSzT-IGDtBF7R3

[wearemovieclub-blog]

#ScaryMovieSquad Review: Aliens

Format: Live Action Applicable Settings: Future, Space Applicable Genre: Horror, Science Fiction, Creature Feature

Hit or Skip:  Hit! Just don't expect Alien and you'll be fine.

General: It is really hard to see Alien and predict that this is what they would do with the sequel.  Ultimately it probably came down to an increase in budget, that they could afford to do more than one xenomorph that took it the direction it went.

Aesthetics:  88 The xenomorphs are properly done this time, and really cool to see them in mass.  The face huggers are probably more terrifying as they have more suspenseful scenes and the xenomorphs seem more like kidnappers than killers.  The queen is a basically a dinosaur and have some of the best looking scenes around it.  The biggest problem was that if I had to hear Newt scream one more time, then I was going to put my fist through the screen. Storyline:  85 I cannot believe that the company's agenda regarding this creature hasn't changed at all.  I'm not even sure why the company thinks this is a good bio-weapon.  After losing a ship, and a whole colony, they still want it, and all the xenomorphs did was sit there after they took the colony.  As serious as a planetary threat it might be, just not going there, or killing them from orbit sounds like a better solution. Character Development:  80 The characters are pretty polarized: either they're a stock character that never changed or they're survivors.  Ripley takes a motherly development through the movie with the introduction of Newt, who is adapting to so much trauma in such a short time.  I'm equally impressed with how stupid the company man is about staying alive as how much the CPL turns to Ripley's perspective and actually saving the day. Compulsion:  80 I can't pretend this is a great movie, it takes about 45 minutes to actually start the movie.  Even then there is a lot of supposed tension when its more of just empty space.  This is probably more of the modern perspective just being faster with shorter attention spans. Final Score:  83.25 -Kamurai

References: IMDB: http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0090605/ Wikipedia: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Aliens_(film) General references: Rabbit: http://rabb.it/Kamurai Youtube: http://youtube.com/WeAreMovieClub Playlist: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PL7AobbsQMTr_fqp93TlcSzT-IGDtBF7R3

[wearemovieclub-blog]

#ScaryMovieSquad Review: Quarantine LA

Format: Horror Applicable Settings: Modern Applicable Genre: Horror, Science Fiction

Hit or Skip:  Skip! What a lot of nothing happening in this movie.  I swear there is less than 30 zombies the whole movie.

General: For a movie based off a movie as good a Quarantine, which is, in turn, based off of the REC franchise, this has a LOT of garbage in it.  It feels more like we're concentrating on a small concentrated portion of the world from Residential Evil: Apocalypse.

Aesthetics:  51 The copy I watched was barely acceptable as a movie.  It even does the annoying jump cuts between nonsensical dreams and nonsensical story. Storyline:  40 Someone certainly wrote some scenes for this, and probably even had a good screenplay at one point, which is where the meat of the story comes from.  While treachery is fun and usually fits into survival horror, this feels more like corporate treachery and is a little awkward. Character Development:  15 I literally just assigned tropes to thes characters: the soldier, the convict, the store owner, the child, the wife, the doctor.  I don't feel they changed at all, or why I was supposed to care. Compulsion:  10 None, by the time we reach the first set of zombies and rescue the doctor, I was ready to drop this.  The movie doesn't make care about any of it.  I started hoping zombies would show up and give us some turn over on the character set. Final Score:  29 -Kamurai

References: IMDB: https://www.amazon.com/Quarantine-L-Bo-Linton/dp/B01I2WAYKS/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1519504467&sr=8-1&keywords=quarantine+la

General references: Rabbit: http://rabb.it/Kamurai Youtube: http://youtube.com/WeAreMovieClub Playlist: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PL7AobbsQMTr_fqp93TlcSzT-IGDtBF7R3

[wearemovieclub-blog]

#ScaryMovieSquad Review: Alien

Format: Live Action Applicable Genre: Horror, Paranormal

Hit or Skip:  Hit! If only for historical purposes, then any horror movie goers should have seen this. General: The basis for many a modern creature feature, Alien set the standard for many tropes in the industry and is a suspenseful, great movie that may just not hold up over time. Aesthetics:  65 There are big empty scenes here where I think, maybe on the original, on the big screen, might have been impressive, but not just looks like a black wall with white spots instead of the epic vastness of space.  The movie is filled with 1980s standards of blinking lights, weird display panels and lack of innovative future tech.  In fact the most impressive future tech was Ash, the android so life-like he passed as human.  Maybe the medical gear was cool.  The face hugger still had the same unsettling feel to it, but the juvenile looks pretty silly, other than it just came out of a person's chest.  Some of the scenes with the xenos are still amazingly framed and lit, but when they get it wrong: it just looks silly.  Some shots it is very obvious its a guy in a bad suit which is a shame as they spent so much effort into the ship designs and the actual biological design and look of the xenos.   Storyline:  85 There are a couple storylines going on here, but the points that matter are that the humans are sent on a suicide mission to acquire a xenos as a biological weapon, unbeknownst to them.  Like any horror movie, its fueled by the stupidity of its characters, but once the action finally kicks off the movie plays with your sensibilities of loneliness.  Not only are the characters alone as they spread out on the ship, but the ship is alone in the vastness of space: there is literally no where to go.  Breaking the quarantine is actually a genius write in as it foreshadows the ship being refused by headquarters in the same way as Cain should have been by the crew.  So even in the best possible scenario, they may not even be welcomed back into the fold. Character Development:  70 Other than Ripley, the human characters are stock and fodder.  They seem to be the same person all the way until they die, almost as if they were robots.  But at least with the android, we get a nice reveal on the plot, or learn that its an android.  Ripley doesn't even have much going on other than she happens to be cautious enough to survive, but at least she has more personality than the cat.  Her surviving all the trauma sets her up to not only be a hero in the sequel, but someone with a vendetta against the company (and androids). Compulsion:  80 I was excited when the movie began I remembered all the things I knew about the franchise, and it honestly cooled pretty fast: there is a lot of slow, spaced out things in the first act of the movie.  But the action manages to pick up nicely as the hunt for the xenos begins.  There's a kitty and cool space stuff and lots of good suspense.  Unfortunately with the high quality control of shooting a movie back in the 1980s: there are moments that really took me out of the movie.  And I never got my answers about the cat.  Why/how is it there?  Does it have its own cryo-chamber?  Why didn't it get vented with the xeno? Final Score:  75 This is a movie worth having in your history, maybe you'll learn something about your favorite horror movie. -Kamurai

References: IMDB: http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0078748/?ref_=nv_sr_2

General references: Rabbit: http://rabb.it/Kamurai Youtube: http://youtube.com/WeAreMovieClub Playlist: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PL7AobbsQMTr_fqp93TlcSzT-IGDtBF7R3

[wearemovieclub-blog]

#ScaryMovieSquad Review: The Vault

Format: Live Action Applicable Genre: Horror, Paranormal

Hit or Skip:  Skip! Really, if you are having trouble finding something to watch, this isn't bad, but there are better things to watch.

General: Solid concept, decent cast, good presentation, but I really don't know what went wrong.  The movie even does good misdirecton.  Something about this movie fails to get me invested enough to feel what I need to feel to make the movie good.

Aesthetics:  70 The movie knows how to do audio cues, both in music and dialogue volume, though what they happen to be saying isn't always very meaningful.  There is a visual direction taken for the movie, but I can't say its much other than thematic.

Storyline:  75 This doesn't feel like a very original storyline despite me not being able to come up with another movie that uses these particular tropes like this.  Its just empty enough to be forgetable and not written well enough to be very moving (or scary).

Character Development:  80 Probably the one thing that the movie does well is explore its characters, to include the bank, and have us question morality all over the place, probably slightly much. Compulsion:  40 The movie doesn't bring much to the table to keep the audience engaged past the first viewing.  There are a couple surprises, but most of the movie is waiting to see if the pretty people are going to finally going to do something interesting and not getting it.  Even the "good" robber's noble actions fall short because its by and for characters we don't really care about. Final Score:  66.25 Not a bad movie, just maybe not what you expect out of a haunted bank movie.

-Kamurai

References: IMDB: http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1785635/?ref_=nv_sr_1 Netflix: https://www.netflix.com/title/80159566

General references: Rabbit: http://rabb.it/Kamurai Youtube: http://youtube.com/WeAreMovieClub Playlist: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PL7AobbsQMTr_fqp93TlcSzT-IGDtBF7R3

[wearemovieclub-blog]

#ScaryMovieSquad Review: House on Willow Street

Hit or Skip:  Skip!

General: As much as I was excited for this one, it almost immediately disappoints.  We're given a completely disjointed prologue, followed by a poorly executed plan.  Watching people bumble a kidnapping attempt isn't nearly as exciting as one might think.  Being that its ultimately a Rorsach scenario, where the kidnappers are trapped with there kidnap victim, and that victim is a demon using their anguish against them, the concept really begins to take off, but maybe not so much the execution.

Aesthetics:  80 This movie is scattered with interesting visuals, but is bogged down with dark, dreary scenes of just NOTHING.  While some of the subtlies help, most of the movie is fairly poor and boring looking, and the HORRIBLE wire work with the aerial harnesses towards the end definitely hurt the movie's look.  On top of that, someone's tentacle fetish got worked into the movie, and while the idea of projecting the tentacle tongues into another person to infect/possess them makes some sense, it going to the point of one of the guys' dead mother frenching was a little much.  Visually, its a lot more grotesque than horrifying.

Storyline:  30 The story is pretty basic, but is written in a way to pad the movie's runtime.  Not only did we do a prolonged surprise reveal in the middle of the movie, but it did a very typical thing where the demon just seems to take forever to demon properly.  Even when it begins to confront the humans or even has the advantage it just takes so long to make things happen, which is ultimately a problem.  I know horror stories are fueled by stupidity, but stupidity on the villain's side just slows the movie down.

Character Development:  20 As mentioned, these characters are stupid and sloppy as well as shallow.  There is just nothing much there.  Some arbitrary backstory is applied for the purpose of having their ghosts follow and harrass them, but that is just an extension of their character traits.  I'm not even sure that the movie mentions their actual names, I certainly don't remember them.

Compulsion:  40 The synopsis for this movie had me excited, but the movie itself just lets me down.  I got interested when we saw each ghost for the first time, but it was short lived.  The super intricate work done on the tentacle tongues made me want to look at pretty much anything else rather than the hard work they put into creating them.  None of the characters are particularly funny or moving and the scenes are lacking the tension that normally exists during horror movie chase scenes. Final Score:  42.5 I can’t recommend this movie.  Even for a Bad Movie Night, you’ll probably find it lacking.

-Kamurai 

References: IMDB: http://www.imdb.com/title/tt4961380/?ref_=fn_al_tt_1 Netflix: https://www.netflix.com/title/80178891

General references: Rabbit: http://rabb.it/Kamurai Youtube: http://youtube.com/WeAreMovieClub Playlist: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PL7AobbsQMTr_fqp93TlcSzT-IGDtBF7R3

[wearemovieclub-blog]

#ScaryMovieSquad Review: The Descent

Format: Live Action

Applicable Settings: Modern Applicable Genre: Horror, Action

Hit or Skip:  Hit! One of my favorite horror movies.

General: I love this movie; it is intense.  It hits that special spot for me where it's a real life situation that goes sideways and they've got to figure out how to survive it.  On top of that they get the supernatural / mythical obstacles of the Wendigo on top of that.  The final pin is that they actually have a realistic chance at survival, it's not like aliens are going to glass the planet.

Aesthetics:  98 You may not have a clue how hard it must have been to shoot in that cave system, let alone churn out such a good movie.  The creatures are fantastic, the rock climbing is all done well, and the sound and situations are all extremely immersive.  The details on the injuries and stealth actions really bring the movie to life in a way I wouldn't have thought was possible. Storyline:  90 This movie has a slow build up, that is well done, minus Sarah's really unnecessary backstory.  I really don't see the point of gathering sympathy for her for that long.  There are much shorter way to established she's medicated and potentially crazy.  But as soon as the movie actually starts (at the cave in) the movie is wonderfully paced and written into this wonderful branching and merging storylines for each of the ladies. Character Development:  90 Honestly, they didn't do a great job of establishing the characters: it was only when they talked about who was where that I actually knew most of them.  This is a good sign that everyone is going to die, as writers don't like investing in characters that are going to die, despite it resulting in uneventful deaths.  Surpringly, the scenes are so intense and the setting so bizarre it almost feels like we're watching found footage when we're not.  Watching Sarah go through the (unecessary) backstory and watching her become, and even Juno as they survive is fantastic. Compulsion:  94 This movie has a great pace with slow build up and intense scenes where I can wait to see what's happening next.  The "Wendigos" or whatever are great design, visually and behaviorally: they're terrifying but manageable.  Their real threat is their numbers and the cave system itself.  It's great to see Sarah and Juno be such bad asses in this, and I'm honestly excited for the sequel. Final Score:  93 -Kamurai

References: IMDB: https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0435625/?ref_=nv_sr_1 Wikipedia: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Descent

General references: Rabbit: http://rabb.it/Kamurai Youtube: http://youtube.com/WeAreMovieClub Playlist: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PL7AobbsQMTr_fqp93TlcSzT-IGDtBF7R3

[wearemovieclub-blog]

#ScaryMovieSquad Review: AVP: Alien versus Predator

Format: Live Action Applicable Settings: Modern Applicable Genre: Horror, Science Fiction, Action

Hit or Skip:  Hit! Finally Predators git good.

General: This is where Predators started getting fun for me.  Most likely it was more of the Xenomorphs going against a more capable foe, but I enjoyed movie: it was a good time for me.

Aesthetics:  90 Finally the cg meets expectations: the invisibility is solidly done, and the Xenomorphs are a fun mix of lifelike cg and praticals. Storyline:  88 The majority of the movie is, "Hey we're trapped and being hunted", but I think it's the idea of being confined in this temple is what helps make this better.  This, from the Predator perspective, being a training moment of honor helps as well, and at least the humans and Xenomorphs have a reason for being there, despite the humans not being equipped for the situation. Character Development:  92 The inter-species connection helps immensely: despite all the time wasted dealing with the humans, the last Predator realizing that (the last) human could be useful somehow.  That with all the discovery of the temple itself there is a broad connection of survival versus sport. Compulsion:  88 The actual Predator versus Xenomorph is formidable versus formidable whereas the humans are glass cannons in the best of scenarios.  Unfortunately by the time there is a cause to be tactical about the situation, most of the humans (and Predators) are dead, but the shifting structure keeps things interesting. Final Score:  89.5 -Kamurai

References: IMDB: https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0370263/?ref_=nv_sr_1 Wikipedia: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alien_vs._Predator_(film)

General references: Rabbit: http://rabb.it/Kamurai Youtube: http://youtube.com/WeAreMovieClub Playlist: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PL7AobbsQMTr_fqp93TlcSzT-IGDtBF7R3

[wearemovieclub-blog]

#ScaryMovieSquad Review: Alien 3

Format: Live Action Applicable Settings: Modern Applicable Genre: Horror, Science Fiction, Creature Feature

Hit or Skip:  Skip! Unless you're just working your way through the franchise, there are better Alien movies to watch.

General: I can't fully recommend this as it just doesn't feel as exciting as the other movies.  Across the board, this movie could have done better in almost every aspect.  I would love to see this movie rebooted though as it had a lot of potential, even committing the idea of the prison.

Aesthetics:  80 While its interesting to see more xenomorphs from the start of the situation, the prison offers so little good scenery, and there isn't really an option of the planet surface.  Having so little equipment available restricts the number of cool battle scenes and the kill scenes weren't very good.  I will say that the xenomorphs look pretty good in this, especially playing with the liquid lead in the foundry. Storyline:  75 Everything that made Ripley a symbolistic wife/mother is taken from her and thus she's taken from empowered hero to weak villain.  It almost feels like the writer is trying to say something: something that isn't all that interesting. Character Development:  85 Ripley is thrown back to the bottom rung of the ladder, the rapists are only detered by lethal violence.  The authority is so strict that it gets eaten instead of believe in alternatives.  The saving of it is that they realize through sacrifice they can make a difference. Compulsion:  75 It takes far too long to "slow burn" and a ridiculous amount of misinformation and disbelief about the situation when people are clearly dead and it should be obvious they were mauled.  Having the cast be unarmed prisoners doesn't help the situation be very interesting. Final Score:  78.75 -Kamurai

References: IMDB: http://www.imdb.com/title/tt2597892/ General references: Rabbit: http://rabb.it/Kamurai Youtube: http://youtube.com/WeAreMovieClub Playlist: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PL7AobbsQMTr_fqp93TlcSzT-IGDtBF7R3