Last Seen Contemporary Movie

[Tommy Jarvis]

Originally Posted by hammerfan

He's made a total of 7 entries so far. Apparently, he's working on #8. I really enjoy these films. So much so, that I bought all of them on Prime. If you're on Facebook, he has a group on there.

Thanks for the tip. I'll check out part 2 and 3 some time.

What's the name of the group?

[Amaltheaunicorn2023]

[DeadbeatAtDawn]

The Flood, 2023. 4/10

Directed by Brandon Slagle





Splinter, 2021. 7/10

Directed by David Bryant





Cobweb, 2023. 7/10

Directed by Samuel Bodin



Little Bone Lodge, 2023. 7/10

Directed by Matthias Hoene

[Tommy Jarvis]

Talk to Her 2002 ★★½

I totally see the movie's appeal.

How it's about unconditional love, being there for somebody. How it challenges the traditional image of masculinity. For fans of Euro cinema, this can be gold.

It just did not do that much for me when I watched it this time.

[Tommy Jarvis]

The Devil’s Candy 2015 ★★★★½

Recently had this one recommended on a podcast. Holy moley, is this up my alley.

This has a great atmosphere. Case in point being the combination of the paintings along with a haunting score. Great stuff.

Speaking of the score, it's great how this amazing makes heavy metal go together so well with the images. No greatest hits, no generic filler. It added to the movie.

Not to mention the actors. All of the main cast were great, but I'd like to specifically mention Ethan Embry as the obsessed painter and Kiara Giasco as the daughter. Pruitt Taylor Vince made for a convincing killer. Also nice to see Leland Orser again.

Good atmos, solid ending with a good pay off. Certainly going for a rewatch some time later on.

Needless to say: well recommended.

[Tommy Jarvis]

Jason Hates Selfies 2016 ★★★

Short, sweet, a nice shot and a solid kill.

Pretty much all you can expect from a three minute short.

[Tommy Jarvis]

Halloween: Resurrection 2002 ★½

Trick or treat... muddafukka.

Is this the worst one in the series?

Clickbait 2016 ★½

Your typical horror short, making the most of the a tight budget and a positive spirit.

These people made a movie, which is more than my sorry ass will ever do.

[Tommy Jarvis]

Halloween II 2009 ★★½

Well, it is still Rob Zombie. So yes, you will get a lot of screaming and cursing and civil conversations going from 0 to 100 in about three seconds. Also, what's the deal with making Loomis so arrogant and self obsessed?

That said... the nightmare sequence in the opening was well done. Rob Zombie can create tension and I thought Octavia Spencer was good in this one. I liked Brad Dourif's portrayal of sheriff Brackett. Could this be one of the gentler performances in his filmopgraphy? In a Rob Zombie flick of all places. Go figure. Also nice to see Weird Al and Margot Kidder get roles.

Now, I understand that fans give this movie flack for the mom and the white horse, but as a common theme, it's worked out well and it does deliver for a few amazing visuals. Then again, letting a main character come to her end in this way; just to to get a cool visual... That might be a bit too much. Shifting the drama between Annie's death and Laurie's would help.

[Tommy Jarvis]

Arnold 2023 ★★★★

We follow Arnold from his childhood in Austria over the various stages in his life up until where he is now. As the embodiment of the American dream.

Is he arrogant? Yes. And... It all depends in what way you see it. Is it the a-hole kind of arrogant or is it the kind of arrogance that says “look, I know what I'm good at, being good at it makes me feel good and I do not want to hide or deny that it does”. He acknowledges his past mistakes, though that is a lot easier to do when your hits outweigh your misses.

His political career... Not sure how I feel about that, since I don't have a full picture of what his policies were like. Certainly in retrospect (with what came after), it's easy/easier to see him as the sort of poilitician you would now consider a “sensible Republican”. I am aware of his envionmental policies and that, of course, makes him look good. Then again, I could be unaware of some of his other policies. But I did finding myself nodding in agreement in his approach to things like bipartisanship.

Does the series shy away from the scandals? It does not, in large part because it can not. I can certainly see how some people might feel the series glanced over it in the larger scope of things. And I can also see the point of view that says “we don't want this to overshadow all the good things he accomplished”. Plus we will never know what he really thinks and how his mind has “evolved” over the years.

To what degree was it a truthful representation of Schwarzenegger and how much was spinning? Not sure. What I can say is that the man has charisma and a half and he can certainly make for very charming company. And that this series made for amazing television and a very interesting time document.

[Tommy Jarvis]

Wolf Garden 2023 ★★★

Let's be clear from the start: if you don't like slow burns, then you had better skip this review. You want movies to “make sense”? Same rules apply.

For the others: this is a well done slow burn werewolf horror. Particularly for what looks like a low budget affair.

We follow our main character William, as he and his girlfriend Chantelle retreat in a cabin in the woods. He seems to have some sort of issue with going into the public eye, but we're not sure why. At first, you think that he's on the run from criminals, but later, we find out that there are other elements at work.

I liked how this movie sets up an atmosphere where you're hardly ever really sure on what is real and what is not. Especially the scenes with Chantelle do a good job at gradually revealing what is really going on. Director Wayne David (William) and Sian Altman (Chantelle) give okay performances (certainly good compared to some of the wooden performances I've seen in other low budget horrors) and you can tell that they have a bit of chemistry. Would not surprise me to see that they are a real life couple as well. The only silly moment was the scream William gave at one point.

However... as daring as it is, the non linear storytelling is a bit off putting. If you rely on atmosphere as much as this movie does, then you are better off, in my opinion, with a straightforward storyline that keeps the viewer (more) invested.

That said, I still give it three stars. As a child of the era of Clerks and Blair Witch, I do have a certain fondness of these low budget movies that manage to pleasantly surprise you as a viewer. If you can feel that, give this one a check.