#the black phone review

[ebtks-reviews]

The Black Phone (2021)

Sink Spoilers for the black phone (2021)!

So I'll start off this review with my likes and end with my dislikes. First off, I definitely enjoyed the movie's feel and stylization. It is authentically late 70s and the use of sepia tones and soft film makes the film feel much older than it actually is. I'm in my early 20s so I cant exactly protest to its accuracy but from my limited experience, it feels about right. The story is also very 70s as well with a serial killer that likens itself to Ted Bundy.

It would surprise no one that the film was made by a son of Stephen King with its general vibes and reoccurring themes, why try to fix a formula that isn't broken? It dose lend itself to some predictablity but again, works fine. I love the acting, it feels genuine and the characters actually stood out enough in appearance and personality for me to remember their names! No characters felt unnessesary or padding and although I have one gripe, I'll save that for later. I loved the little sister and her tenaciousness never came off as comedic or too much. She's the perfect antithesis to the little girl in psycho goreman, enough spunk to make her funny and interesting but not so much it strays into straight up unnessesary meanness or over-acting. I also enjoyed the show of the dad being an abuser but also one with good intentions, even if his actions have led to unforgivable places. King has a history of making villians for the sake of villains and the father felt like a real person, a bad person, but a real person none the less.

Now we can talk about the negatives. I felt this movie had a lot of just... Boring moments. Just moments where nothing was happening. I felt like donna, Finney's crush, was really a nothing character and I wish the sister's psychic powers were either explained or utilized abit more but surprisingly, most of my gripe lies with something alot of people liked, which is the grabber. I have no criticisms for Ethan hawkes performance, he did amazing and the grabber feels like a realistic serial killer, big, strong and scary for what he's managed to get away with and accomplish but deep down is just a pitiful nerd who took his desire to hurt others too far by being unchecked. My gripe is that despite the dad being a minor antagonist, the causation of his evil is well thought out and realistic. We get no motive from the grabber. There's a few times where I could just barely make out a subtext of gayness and sexual assault, mostly from these incidents: him being almost naked when he wants to beat the boys, the fact he's only grabbing young boys fresh out of puberty, the fact he tells Finney he "won't do anything to him that he won't like", the fact he calls his motis operandi "naughty boy" and the similarity of his glasses to those of jeffery Dahmer, a famously gay serial killer who acted around that time. However, as a gay person myself, I don't consider these nessesarily enough to make that direct connection like I did with high tension (🤢), they just aren't explicit enough of a justification or the subtext of him being gay and repressed is so subtle, it flew past me despite my gaydar. Other than that, the grabber, his reasons, none of it is expanded upon as much I wish it were. He's not compelling to me completely cause despite all his scenes, I don't feel like we see him enough. The movie definitely could of benefited from us seeing the grabber in his daily life, like how he'd be with his brother, but instead, we only hear it kinda second hand and even then, we dont learn anything, there's barely a single sentence based in it. The movie would be improved, if only partially, by some more scenes with Ethan hawkes. The story definitely suffers a bit from being based on a short story and having a short run time, it feels like they weren't working with a lot of material or budget so it felt abit rushed despite the large sections of nothing happening down in the basement. It could of used a scene or two to break some it up, even if it's the main set piece. A location is great but there were many times the movie cut, I expected us to be somewhere else learning something else but it was just the basement from another angle and the start of a new scene there immediately after. A small gripe but one I noticed more on my second watch through rather than the first.

Outside of that, I generally enjoyed the movie, it's tone and i didn't find much of it to be too unrealistic or unbelievable. Despite the existence of the ghosts and their advice, the supernatural elements weren't over played, over helpful or carrying the movie. The kids got help, yes, but they still had to do things themselves, with all the danger of doing it alone. The ghosts were more moral support and advice than anything like psychic blasting the grabber to the shadow realm. The ending was satisfying and brutal without being over the top, even if I found myself wondering why the grabber would remain in that hole, even with the broken ankle. It felt earned and even made my gf cry so I gotta give it some points lol

All in all, 8/10 sinks. Very good, not the best horror I've ever seen by any means nor the most intriguing but, for what it was, it was interesting and enjoyable. I definitely suggest seeing this movie as a newer horror fan as it's not super jumpy, bloody, gorey or require a huge wealth of knowledge about previous horror to understand it. Very beginner friendly.

[pricelessreviews]

[letterboxd-worth-a-damn]

[carcarrot]

OH MY GOD A YEAR AGO TODAY .

[sweepweep]

So I'm finally getting around to trying to finish Stranger Things for the first time (totally worth the hype surprised that the "Momma Steve" thing I heard about is like a canon thing) and I got to the first episode of season 3 where the older ladies who are all parents with like teenage aged kids are gawking at this dude who they knew as a high schooler (and even if they didn't he is significantly younger than them he is like their kids' age) and all I could think of was "NOOOOOOOOO!

NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!

NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!"

Ooooh oh no… oh NO

Sigh

[chaosinside24-7]

"He was an idiot. But he was my idiot."- The Grabber

🎬: The Black Phone (2022)

[mushed-kid]

i finally watched the black phone i really liked it it was good i liked finney or finnley whatever his name was i liked his sister and the movie👍

[starsdotalk]

I have this love and hate relationship with Tumblr, because everytime I search a movie (that I still haven't watched) I ALWAYS get SPOILED. (Still, I love Tumblr for introducing me to those movies anyways)

[milliondollarbaby87]

The Black Phone (2021) Review

When Finney Blake is abducted by the serial killer than has been named The Grabber, he must use all of his wit to stay alive. The mysterious black phone in the basement keeps ringing and it’s the previous victims of the killer who all try and help him. ⭐️⭐️⭐️ Continue reading The Black Phone (2021) Review

[sp4c3b0yw0rld]

Today I watched...

The Black Phone (2021)

And I didn't like it.

SPOILERS BELOW

Here goes my review/opinion/complaint:

First of all, WHAT ARE YOU DOING BOY, WHY ARE YOU GOING NEAR A BLACK VAN THAT SAYS "ABRACADABRA" TO HELP A WEIRD GUY WHO JUST THREW HIS SHOPPING BAG IN FRONT OF YOU KNOWING THAT 5 KIDS HAVE BEEN KIDNAPPED BY SOMEONE WITH A VAN?

Also, it wasn't even that dark, how did anybody notice the BIG BLACK "ABRACADABRA" VAN?

This guys gotta be the most useless police officers I've ever seen in a movie (couldn't find a photo of them, but if you've watched the movie ykwim).

That scene when Finn goes upstairs and the guy is asleep made me scream at the screen. Like, why don't you just hit him or knock him or smth BEFORE trying to escape? He had things there, objects he could have used to knock him; if he had, the movie would've been over (and so would my suffering). But he didn't.

He tried to escape, he was caught and back inside the basement again. Wow.

I did my best not to turn off the TV and keep watching, that was the real horror.

And well the end is... Idk how to describe it, it all feels very rushed, very spontaneous.

More context needed.

A lot of people recommended me this movie, and I still can't understand why.

Final rating: 4.5 out of 10 (I mean, it's not that bad, but I wouldn't rewatch it and didn't like it)

In the end, this is only my opinion, if you've enjoyed this movie that's fine, just don't recommend me anything more pls (jk).

bye n see you soon!

[livingscarypodcast]

Happy Monday!

We have a new episode up! Check out episode 96 for a movie review of The Black Phone and the true crime case of Jacob Wetterling

Check us out on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, and YouTube!

[facelessoldgargoyle]

I watched The Black Phone (2021) and it was a rockin good time. The killer’s mask was super duper. It has a top half and a bottom half so that the mouth can be switched from smiling to frowning. Ethan Hawke plays the killer, and and he is a darling. The child actors are very competant, too!

Tbh I found the neglect and abuse by the father to be more upsetting than the kidnapping/violence/murder by the killer. I appreciate that at the end of it, he falls on his knees to ask for forgiveness, and I also appreciate that the kids don’t say anything, just lean on each other. That’s what’s up.

Extremely delighted that the cops listen to child psychics in the 70’s.

Extremely tickled by the radical hairdo’s.

7/10 the sort of movie that my wife couldn’t watch because it’s too grimy.

[letterboxd-worth-a-damn]

[ohworm-writes]

I posted 380 times in 2022

205 posts created (54%)

175 posts reblogged (46%)

Blogs I reblogged the most:

@makesuretoloveyourself

@dreamwvrld

@fangirlingcentral

@sardonic-the-writer

@ohworm-writes

I tagged 238 of my posts in 2022

Only 37% of my posts had no tags

#worm.txt - 145 posts

#worm.answ - 103 posts

#worm.rbs - 31 posts

#anon.com/🐍 - 23 posts

#1000 follower event - 14 posts

#wilcza.com/my-dear - 13 posts

#one year event - 13 posts

#1 year event - 13 posts

#navigation - 12 posts

#navi - 12 posts

Longest Tag: 139 characters

#if you have a different idea for the personalized little tag i do then you can dm it to me so i can have that unique tag all set for you :)

My Top Posts in 2022:

#5

Just saw the movie about- what, 30 minutes ago? Oh. My. Gods. Above. This is the only thing I will be talking about for the next 3 weeks.

I’m already in the middle of planning a fic (read: I’m insane). HOWEVER, this being said, the fic will be posted within the next few days.

Someone has to help feed this fandom as it grows. ;-) See you soon, and remember! Don’t talk to strangers…

178 notes - Posted June 25, 2022

#4

See the full post

295 notes - Posted April 25, 2022

#3

▬ LOVERS ROCK PT. 1 ▬

Pairing: Jschlatt x Gn!Reader

Rating: General Audiences

Warnings: Minimal cursing

Synopsis: Fall is in full swing in you and your boyfriend’s shared home. So, that means some baking is in order, yes?

Word Count: 1.3k

Author’s Note: Miss me? Here’s a little something to give you a taste. I’m back.

See the full post

419 notes - Posted November 1, 2022

#2

This whole situation is almost ironic to me. See, a few days ago I was sitting in my room and the thought of Techno came to mind. It was random, I’ll be honest, as I haven’t thought about him since April. But anyways, I wondered, you know, “How long has it been since he uploaded?” “I wonder where he is/ what’s he doing now”.

But, most importantly: “I hope he’s okay.”

I was at a party yesterday when I got the news. We were watching some movie and I wasn’t at all paying attention to it, so I went to TikTok to pass the time. And then I saw it. Someone uploaded a video saying something along the lines of “I hope this isn’t real”.

So, I checked what happened, and there it was.

My friend came over to talk and checked his phone and then he saw it and we were just speechless. I couldn’t process it until the car ride back, where I started tearing up and then fully sobbing when I got home.

I started rewatching videos as I cried myself to sleep, and then I woke up this morning and it started all over again. And while it hasn’t stopped, I have to continue to remind myself to be strong because this goofball was my inspiration! So much of myself is taken from him and I constantly have to remind myself that “It’ll be fineeee.”

I’m not okay, but really nobody else within this fandom is right now, I know that. But we have to be strong, as much time as it’ll take.

Cancer dies with the person it takes, so even here he didn’t lose: a draw, if you will. We’ll learn to be okay, however long it’ll take. And it’ll take a lot of time, believe me, but we’ll be okay.

Everything is within his calculations.

683 notes - Posted July 1, 2022

My #1 post of 2022

I need more people to write for The Black Phone like- I’m at the point where if nobody will do it in the next 5 seconds, I will.

There are 2 fics over the course of any website I can find for it, and I swear to the gods above I KNOW the movies doesn’t come out for another few weeks but PLEASE!

Like- we can all agree that he’s hot, right? It’s not just a small group of people, right?

You guys get it, right?

Edit: Let’s acknowledge this character was based off of John Wayne Gacy and it has been stated in interviews that this character would be a pedophile. I can’t tell you who you can’t and can simp or obsess over, but I’d like anyone reading this to take in these facts. This post was made before the film debuted and before I knew who this character was based off of, and in no way do I support or condone it. I’ve since left this fandom of sorts, and while I do find Ethan Hawke attractive, I can no longer say the same for this character.

843 notes - Posted June 13, 2022

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[gravecinema]

Grave Reacts: The Black Phone (2022) - 07/11/2023

In this video, my roommate will be reacting to her very first watch of The Black Phone from 2022. The suspense in this one really got to her.

[bunny-lou]

I posted 565 times in 2022

195 posts created (35%)

370 posts reblogged (65%)

Blogs I reblogged the most:

@sparrowmoth

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@telli1206

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@sistersmcclain

I tagged 188 of my posts in 2022

#asks - 86 posts

#the black phone - 77 posts

#finney blake - 62 posts

#anonymous - 56 posts

#the grabber - 55 posts

#incorrect descendants quotes - 48 posts

#robin arellano - 44 posts

#carlos de vil - 41 posts

#jaylos - 33 posts

#jay descendants - 31 posts

Longest Tag: 32 characters

#incorrect the black phone quotes

My Top Posts in 2022:

#5

Robin and Finney are dating, which is cool. Robin is Finney’s romantic boyfriend, so he gets to hold Finney’s hand and listen to him talk about space and go on dates and stuff. This means Robin is Gwen’s platonic boyfriend, so he has gets to hold Gwen’s bag and listen to her talk about her friends and have her be the third wheel on dates and stuff.

Or, a bunch of head canons with Gwen both ruining and supporting Robin/Finney

Finney patching Robin up after a fight and Robin making comments about how he has the cutest nurse, but Finney is still mad at him for fighting.

Robin arguing that Finney can’t be mad at him, Robin got in the fight for defending Gwen against some kids who said she was weird

Finney pointing out that if Robin was defending Gwen, she is going to be more pissed than he is. Gwen likes to fight her own battles, she doesn’t let other people be her voice.

Robin realizing, oh shit, he’s right, and asking Finney to lie and say Robin got in the fight defending Finney because yeah Gwen is younger and shorter and smaller, but Robin is not prepared to be on her bad side

Robin’s uncle lets him take his truck to the drive ins on weekends, which is dark and secluded and if they see a scary movie, Finney will practically be in his lap the whole time

he arrives at the Blake house to pick up his boyfriend and is shocked and confused for Gwen to climb in the truck beside Finney

Finney is just like ‘Gwen wants to see this movie too, so I invited her’

Robin is a good boyfriend and he does actually like Gwen, so of course he has no problem with it, even if his plans are ruined.

Part way through the movie, Robin slips her some money and tells her to go get some snacks

And Gwen is smart and says ‘why? so you can be alone with my brother and make out?’

And Robin, completely serious, saying ‘yes, so make sure you take your time because you don’t want to see this’

Finney is just a flustered mess

Yeah, Robin is Finney’s boyfriend, but the match to his BFF bracelet belongs to Gwen

Gwen starts dating a boy and swooning over him, so Finney gives his best big brother talk of ‘if you hurt her, I will be very disappointed in you and I will make you feel bad’

And Robin’s like ‘good job, babe, you really scared that dude’

But when Finney’s back is turned, Robin is grabbing the guys shirt and promising to break his teeth if he ever hurts Gwen.

Way more invested in Gwen’s stories about the girls in her class and her bitch teacher and how dumb boys are than Finney is. Finney listens because he loves his sister and wants her to have a safe place to talk, but Robin listens because he loves girl talk and there’s no way Susie actually made out with Bobby while she was dating Jack, omg, what happened after that???

Gwen making up total lies to get out of the house when Robin comes over because she’s a good wingwoman and lets them have alone time

Braid twins as Finney makes dinner for all of them.

Teaching Gwen one on one how to do a round house kick so she can use her fists and rocks and feet

(does the same thing with Finn, but it takes way longer because Robin keeps flirting with him)

Also teaches Gwen how to swear in Spanish after she gets detention for the 12000th time for calling her teacher a fuckwad

Gwen helps Robin plan out dates. She points out the restaurants Finney wants to try and the new rocket launcher he’s been eyeing and the new rom com he hasn’t seen yet and if they go to the park at night, Finney will be able to point out the constellations as they hold hands under the stars

Robin is Gwen’s platonic boyfriend, the end.

Might turn this into a fluffy fic after I’m done with my angsty fic

515 notes - Posted July 17, 2022

#4

Just saw Barbarian (2022) and while it was amazing, I would also watch and enjoy a film of Tess and Keith just spending a weekend slowly falling in love during this renting mixup because they were so cute and had such good chemistry.

703 notes - Posted September 10, 2022

#3

Finney: "I made this friendship bracelet for you."

Robin: "I don't really wear jewelry."

Finney: "Oh, okay... You don't have to wear it."

Robin: "No, I'm gonna wear it forever. Back off."

789 notes - Posted July 19, 2022

#2

Robin: “When I was younger, I had a crush on a boy in my class and I didn’t know how to deal with it so I wrote him a letter that just said ‘get out of my school’.”

Finney: “That was you?!”

808 notes - Posted October 12, 2022

My #1 post of 2022

Bruce: “What’s the happiest place on earth?”

Finney: “The science lab.”

Robin: “The gym.”

Bruce: “Apparently neither of you have ever been in Vance’s arms.”

Finney: “Of course we’ve never been in Vance’s arms, he’s terrifying!”

Robin: “I brushed against him accidentally once and he pulled out a switchblade.”

843 notes - Posted October 12, 2022

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