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Jingling Keys: The Movie is how I'd describe this movie and the film's 2023 predecessor. So much of the movie relies on visual callbacks, references and "easter eggs" from the games but Illumination still hasn't learned how to incorporate any of these cool things in a way that's interesting or clever. Fans of the games and the "turn your brain off" crowd will find plenty of appeal in something like this, but for people who like good movies with good stories these illumination Mario features leave a lot to be desired.

An important part of what makes Undertone work was first seen in the film's marketing, anointing it's use of sound as what makes it stand out and I can say that it is definitely the film's best qualities. There are numerous set pieces throughout the film's runtime where the sound editing and mixing is on full display, offering a very creepy and atmospheric use of children's nursery rhymes that creates a very unnerving experience. This, combined with the film's score, made for a very unique experience even if the film's conclusion wasn't that unique compared to other works in the genre.

YouTuber Chris Stuckmann disappoints in his feature film debut with a widely derivative horror movie that is sunken by a weak screenplay and lack of originality.

While slightly better than its predecessor, but not by more than a thin margin, Jeepers Creepers 2 does not stoop to the lowest of lows of plot contrivances seen in the first film, but it is incredibly dull and features some horrendous dialogue.

In what can best be described as a predictable horror movie that heavily features the trope of "protagonists making the dumbest decisions so that the rest of the movie can happen", Jeepers Creepers is one of the most bafflingly bad 1st installments in a successful franchise.

"My Old Ass" is a generic, derivative comedy-drama with some of the most infuriating gen-z dialogue that's so on-the-nose it might as well be pulled directly from a college student's Tumblr bio.

Heretic is a solid thriller with an exceptional lead performance from Hugh Grant, offering thought provoking takes on religion without being pandering or insulting.

With fan service that's so unabashed that Deadpool & Wolverine can "eat their heart out" to, Alien: Romulus somehow becomes 2024's "most nostalgia bait" movie of the year. With its pointless, needless references and callbacks to the original film, this latest installment of the Alien franchise offers the flimsiest of **** has no other reason for existing other than being a cash grab and it can't even stand on it's own being that it relies so heavily on prior appreciation for the franchise.

Despite Parker Finn's susceptibility use *quiet..quiet..LOUD BANG* jumpscares that are more annoying than they are scary, his movies this manage to impress visually and viscerally. His work is quite polished in the way that it's delivered, with effective editing and sharp sound design with appealing shot compositions. Finn is clearly a well established talent at directing, it just would be nice to see him go against the grain with his sensibility to horror tropes.

This horror/comedy fails to significantly deliver at either in this meandering film that never does quite get up off the ground. There's a severe lack of tension due to the films inability to establish any kind of threat or urgency, and the script isn't witty or funny enough for it to work as a compelling satire either. Despite Cate Blanchett's star power this overall is a mostly forgettable film that leaves a lot to be desired.

Conceptually and visually unique, but what ultimately sinks "It's What's Inside" is its convoluted story telling and editing.

While this third Terrifier film is 30 minutes shorter than its immediate predecessor, it's still about 30 minutes longer than it should be as it mostly meanders through its 2 hour runtime. The original Terrifier was an hour and 20 minutes, which is exactly what this third film should be, especially when you consider that the film doesn't have much of a story and barely anything happens. The movie just kind of wanders aimlessly until we get to the third act when there's finally moments of tension. On a more positive note there are some fun scenes, David Howard Horton is once again iconic as Art the Clown, and Lauren Laverna gives the best performance in the movie. The main issue with this film is it's pacing and runtime, it takes so long to convey so little, and while the initial shocking and mean spirited veneer of the first film worked so well, it has ultimately lost it's luster by now, and this third film leaves it's franchise in need of a change of pace for future installments.

Red Rooms is a fascinating, yet disturbing look at online obsession and morbid curiosity of true terror. It's a film that works because of how palpable and relevant today with how the dark web is more easily accessible than it has ever been. It's a character study someone with such a morbid outlook on life which is phenomenon that is becoming more and more common, coinciding with the progression of technology.

The Wild Robot is a film that is as beautiful visually as it is narratively. It's funny, entertaining and has a great positive message fit for the whole family.

Nobody asked for a Joker sequel, and what we got fails miserably to justify its means to exist in the first place. You get the feeling that both Todd Phillips and Joaquin Phoenix never had any desire to make this movie, but because the first movie was so successful, they were contractually obligated to spit out something so good for them in lining their pockets, I guess. Unfortunately for fans of the first film and movies in general, this sequel completely undermines the first film in a way that's quite shocking. It's one thing to have a narrative so unfocused and messy, but there's undertones of this film's plot that appears to critique the first film's influence. Also, the musical element of this movie adds nothing, as it dissolves any tension there might have been otherwise and feels like added ingredient because the narrative is so lacking. This whole movie was a big misfire and it's pretty obvious that the only reason why it exists is to bank off the success of the first film.

In what could quite possibly be one of, if not THE grossest movies you'll see, Coralie Fargeat dazzles with a film that is so visceral, so satirical and most importantly, is so intense that it's impossible to ignore, especially if you're a fan of body horror. With a steady hand behind the camera, and special effects that are as impressive as they are utterly disgusting, this movie is body horror at the best it's been in years.

Without having read the book, it would appear that "It Ends with Us" is clearly a movie that is based on an exceptional book, but the filmakers really dropped the ball. I say that because the issue with the movie is not it's story, the story is actually quite compelling and it has a consistent through line of abuse and trauma that weaves it's way in and out of our main characters. The issues here all lie in the medium of filmmaking. The dialogue, performances and editing are all incredibly awkward and clunky, there's certain scenes and set pieces that feel so rushed and unfinished, and the film treats the novel's sensitive subject matter with the emotional subtlety of a sledgehammer.

AfrAId, very well could have been a movie that was written by AI. Your guess is as good as mine, but what we know for certain is that Blumhouse is barely even trying anymore.

The thing that makes Strange Darling such an incredibly exceptional film is that it is as chaotic as it is surgical and focused with its direction. Its script is so methodical in how it's delivered and never reveals its true hand too early. It toys with the audience in a way that no other film has this year, last year or 3 years before it. It is as close to perfect a movie has been this year if only it didn't follow the cardinal sin of plotting which is "characters making dumb decisions so the rest of the plot can happen", fortunately this is more than halfway through the movie when this occurs so it doesn't completely ruin the movie, but it does keep a great movie from being a bonafide classic.

While visually and conceptually creative, Cuckoo has way too many head scratching moments that in retrospect, after you've had enough time to think about the movie, you realize how very little much of the film made any sense. It's not a terrible movie, but this is definitely one for the "turn your brain off" crowd. It's just unfortunate that a good chunk of the film's third act and conclusion is incredibly dull and unsatisfying.

Trap is the latest M. Night Shyamalan picture that succeeds almost as much as it fails. It's the most baffling thing about M. Night's career. He has moments where he genuinely impressed you with ideas, and not too soon after he will bamboozle you with a plot device or line of dialogue that sounds like it came from somebody who has never seen a movie before.

As of right now I'd say Oddity is the best horror/thriller of the year. It's a film that feels very much like a throwback to an Alfred Hitchcock feature, as the film is incredibly complete with tension and suspense.

Longlegs is effectively creepy in that it doesn't rely on tedious, predictable jumpscares, but rather focus itself on terrifying, real world subject matter that is more palpable. Maika Monroe gives one of the best performances of her career and Nicolas Cage gives one of the most terrifying of his.

After the solid first film "X", and the effectively wild and exceptionally delivered "Pearl", it's unfortunate to write that MaXXXine does not live up to the high standard set by the first two films. Instead the trilogy ends with a whimper, rather than a bang, and it's a wonder why a third film was even necessary when it doesn't follow up on either one of the events set up in the first two movies, and really doesn't have a satisfying payoff at all.

It's frustrating as a fan of Yorgo Lanthimos work that the first two thirds of his two previous films "Poor Things" and "Kinds of Kindness", are exceptionally well written and executed, but the final acts in both filmshave been incredibly underwhelming. The performances are all great, but Jesse Plemons in particular is the standout of all three stories. He's definitely the most captivating element of the film.

Tarot is an all-too familiar horror film if you've ever seen movies like Final Destination, it borrows much of the same tired tropes but doesn't do anything in it's power to stand on it's own. Coupled with how generic the plot and characters are, and the fact the film doesn't have an original bone in it's body, Tarot easily becomes the most forgettable horror film of 2024.

It's hard to review a movie like Sasquatch Sunset because there's nothing more subjective in movies than humor, and the humor of this movie is so specific, it's hard to recommend this anyone without knowing them personally. All I can say about a film like this is it did make me laugh, and I admire how unabashedly silly it is, while also being filmed remarkably well.

The Idea of You rehashes much of the same genre clichés and tropes we've seen in countless other rom-coms, this time it's without any of the wit, charm, likeability or chemistry seen in the movies that came before it.

Late Night with the Devil succeeds at progressively building tension and despite having an independent film budget, it also makes a concerted effort to capture the look and feel of late 1970's talk show aesthetics. The direction is fantastic, and so too is the standout performance of David Dastmalchian.

The First Omen on first glance looks like a promising prequel to the original 1976 classic film The Omen, but it ultimately resorts to standard horror cliches and offers very little of anything new and it certainly isn't anything we haven't already seen.

The Zone of Interest is an incredibly dark, harrowing film that will stick with you and haunt you for quite some time after the final shot of the film. The score, the shots and sounds are all impressively done and is easily my favorite film of 2023.

As a big fan of Andrew Santino and the Bad Friends podcast it hurts to say this movie was underwhelming. John Cena gives it his all, and in a lot of ways is the saving grace of the movie, but the timing and jokes feel incredibly awkward and the movie doesn't get much out of you other than an occasional chuckle.

Coming off of Rose Glass' first film Saint Maude, I was highly anticipating what her follow-up film would be. Love Lies Bleeding did not disappoint for the most part, but it certainly wasn't a perfect film by any means, as the last act is a bit of a mess and doesn't quite live up to how well the movie had been built up in the first two acts. This is still a solid film though, and Rose Glass still has a unique vision, and I think she effectively captured that vision in this film without repeating herself from her first film. It shows how much versatility she has as a filmmaker and I can't wait to see what she does next.

Winnie the Pooh: Blood and Honey 2 doesn't quite have the "so bad it's good" charm the original did, with it's slightly higher budget and a plot that's been stretched thin, the movie feels like much more of a slog to sit through, whereas the first film was more of schlocky ride. The presentation of the film was perhaps the most lacking element of the film. The lighting was so dark it was difficult at times to follow what was happening. I also didn't care for Pooh's new look in this new movie, and the reveal of Tigger was a huge letdown.

Immaculate fails to deliver anything in terms of scares or overall intrigue as it offers one of the most predictable and formulaic horror movies of 2024 so far. It is ultimately a film that is as generic as it is deriivative, dealing with subject matter that has already been done, and done significantly better, in other movies (see Rosemary's Baby, for example).

Saltburn is sleek, stylish movie with mendacious performances and charm. It's weird, uncomfortable and funny, and even though I think a movie like this is likely to infuriate some audience members, it's simply too interesting to skip.

The latest Insidious installment is perhaps the most forgettable. For lead actor Patrick Wilson making his directorial debut, the direction is competent, but the screenplay is extremely week and the jumpscare sequences are all very predictable.

If you're a fan of Bill Burr's comedy you'll most likely be shocked at just how painfully unfunny this movie is. Despite Burr seemingly having full control as the film's writer, director and star, "Old Dad's" is one of the least funniest movies of the year. It's no surprise to find out this movie took so long to release after multiple test screenings of the film were so poorly received.

This could be David Fincher at his most procedural and deficient in humanity. It's the kind of film that very well could rub audiences the wrong way, but I think the latest film from the acclaimed director asks a lot of compelling questions about humanity.

Cobweb is a subversive horror experience that is strong enough with it's creepy visuals and atmosphere to appease horror fans, even if the finale is a bit underwhelming.

Martin Scorcese dazzles yet again with a gripping, compelling portrayal of one of the darkest stories in American history. With great performances, a haunting score and flawless editing, Killers of the Flower Moon is one of the strongest films of 2023 and is yet another solid entry in Scorcese's already legendary filmography.

The Boogeyman is a solid adaptation of Stephen king's short, and surprisingly, is able to hold up quite well after being stretched out into a feature length film. The film maintains a good creepy atmosphere and never lets go of it's focal point.

Slotherhouse could possibly provide enough B-Movie horror shlock fun to appease diehard fans of the category, but unfortunately this movie will likely infuriate viewers based on its plot contrivances and performances. But if you're willing to laugh along with it, you might be able to have fun with it. There were several moments that were genuinely hilarious, and I'm excited to see what the makers of this film could do with a higher budget.

No One Will Save you has impressive visuals, solid performances and enough legitimate moments of tension and suspense throughout. It doesn't always work, but when it does it does so in terrific fashion.

Fair Play is mistakenly advertised as a "thriller" but is more of an erotic/drama, dealing with domestic power dynamics, office politics and the sensitive subject of "consent". The film handles these topics delicately enough for mainstream audiences to digest, but it is a very surface level portrayal of these themes that deserve a deeper analysis. By the end of the film you're feeling hungry for more than what the film offers, and ultimately leaves an underwhelming parting.

I believe that Greta Gerwig is an immensely talented filmmaker, and Barbie for the most part is an exceptionally well made film, but I think where the film loses its luster is in its storytelling. The style is there, the costume and set design is there, everything looks great and sounds great. The performances are also there, Margot Robbie as Barbie is perfect casting and Ryan Gosling especially is the big standout, and is easily the best part of the film. However, it's the on-the-nose delivery of its message and themes, that clashes poorly with its meandering vagueness, one that is both relentless and repetitive. The film is very message heavy, but instead of saying and doing anything interesting with this topic, it instead just kind of meanders aimlessly at moments.

For the most part Talk to Me is a competently made film. There's a couple of unique ideas the film has in depicting deeper, more emotionally horrifying things people can experience such as; trauma, guilt and grief. The film is shot well for the most part, but it lacks the scares and originality to elevate it beyond any other recent horror movies that are similar to it. There's also a number of moments where the dialogue and performances are not great, making the film lose a lot of the effectiveness it could have had if those two things were just a tad bit better.

Christopher Nolan impresses yet again with another compelling and gripping drama, this time depicting the essential figure behind one of the most controversial moments in American politics, J Robert Oppenheimer. With a slew of great performances scattered throughout the film's 3 hour runtime, Cillian Murphy dominates every scene he's in, which fortunately, is more than 90% of the movie. With this role I think Murphy has made his best case for the best actor award at the Oscars next March.

Mission: Impossible- Dead Reckoning part one is yet another enjoyable action thriller in a franchise that is now almost 30 years old. This is a franchise that not only has yet to have a misstep, but is actual getting better with age and is continuing to get increasingly more intense, constantly upping the stakes with each movie and every time has left audiences begging for more. I'm more than happy to say that the 7th film has continued this standard, and I cannot wait to see what happens in part two.

Beau is Afraid is not a primary emotion. It's not a primary anything. Trying to sum up this film's content in a binary, black or white, way or description is virtually impossible. So much of this film, it's humor, it's dramatic moments, it's more emotional moments, simply can't be classified as "basic". This is a very funny movie, this is a very dark and depressing movie, it is a very thought provoking movie. And it is also very strange. To some, it could be infuriatingly strange. But I think to others, this movie could bring up a lot of alloyed emotions about very sensitive subjects such as trauma, grief, guilt and mental illness.