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F*&% the Prom (2017)
F*&% this Movie
F*&% the Prom is a movie that, unless you follow Fine Brothers Entertainment on YouTube, you've probably never heard of. I've been following the React channels for years, so as soon as I found out they made a movie I was curious. The trailer was actually how I found out what the movie was even about. I watched the trailer and honestly, I was pretty underwhelmed. I'm a big fan of Riverdale, so Madelaine Petsch (Cheryl Blossom) was the only part of the trailer to draw me in. Since the movie was promoted relentlessly on the React channels, I knew I needed to see it. It was written by Benny & Rafi Fine and directed by Benny Fine by himself. They, along with reactors, staff, and actors from the movie all said the movie was good. I'm sorry to say... I didn't like it. F*&% the Prom is about a high school loser who reunites with his popular longtime friend after her best friend kisses her boyfriend. Fed up with high school, the two along with other losers devise a plan to destroy the prom (for being a popularity contest). The movie tries to be deep and moral, but its been done already (and by movies that are much better than this). Madelaine Petsch is pretty much type cast as the high school mean girl now. There are cameos from YouTube stars like IISuperwomanII Lily Singh that are just way too cringy (I did appreciate the reactor cameos though). And everybody says current slang and does nothing but Instagram. You just know it's gonna be dated years from now. Plus the movie feels PG-13, then it turns R rated with several F bombs near the end. F*&% the Prom was just way too cynical for my liking. I went to my prom and it was just okay. I really don't get the whole anti-prom mentality. Just because you don't like something, it doesn't mean you should ruin it for everybody else. Maybe the Fine brothers meant well, but F*&% the Prom misses the mark completely for me. I'm still a loyal subscriber but, F*&% this movie.
Mortal Engines (2018)
The Great Predator Cities
On paper, Mortal Engines seemed like it could've been the next big book to film adaptation. Turns out not even Peter Jackson could keep it from becoming a massive critical and financial failure. When I first saw the trailer, I was intrigued by the idea. My only hesitation was how overdone post-apocalyptic movies like this are. Still, the massively detailed special effects and small possibility of a hit were enough to get me to go see it. What I got was a complete mess that squanders its visual appeal. Mortal Engines is based on the first book in a series of five books. Peter Jackson's first mistake was handing the directing reigns to a visual effects supervisor. Mortal Engines centers on a post-apocalyptic future where mankind has turned enormous civilizations like London into mobile predator cities. They're highly impractical, but there's no denying how eye-catching they are. The biggest problem is definitely its characters. None of whom are played by recognizable actors (except Hugo Weaving). Hester Shaw is the scarred hero seeking revenge, Valentine is the villain with an obvious twist, and Tom is the reluctant tag-a-long who becomes the obvious love interest. The rest of the world is bland, unimmersive, and I was immediately turned off by an early joke about certain yellow icons. The only thing I was sort of interested in was Hester's relationship with an undead cyborg named Shrike. It sounds ridiculous, but I think they really had something there. Other than that, Mortal Engines never stood a chance.
The Darkest Minds (2018)
Children at Risk
The Darkest Minds is basically just a blend of every YA cliché under the sun. In this day in age, Young Adult novels are all the rage. The same can be said for their movie adaptations. They either work (with every book in the series getting adapted) or they don't (one and done). The trailer for The Darkest Minds certainly peaked my interest. Most of the marketing pushed it as an X-Men style YA thriller. I didn't read the book, but the movie doesn't seem too different. The Darkest Minds centers on a girl named Ruby Daly (played by Rue from The Hunger Games). After an event wipes out most of the population's children. The only surviving children develop superpowers. Green - high intelligence, Blue - telekinesis, Gold - create electricity, Red - manipulate fire, Orange - mind control. These powers are shown when their eyes turn that color. Obviously Ruby is an Orange, and therefore dangerous, but misunderstood. She eventually winds up with a group of kids looking for some sort of safe haven. You're probably already picking up on all the clichés I mentioned. A young female protagonist, "unique" character names, factions, everything has a nickname, an evil government, a rebellion, a love triangle, you name it, it's probably there. I didn't really have confidence in the movie, but I showed minimal interest enough to go see it by myself. In the end, The Darkest Minds Never Fade In the Afterlight will never see the light of day with a movie this copy and paste.
Truth or Dare (2018)
All Smiles
Blumhouse's Truth or Dare, or simply Truth or Dare, is all about the game... well truth or dare. I first found out about this movie when I clicked on the trailer. Which makes a horror movie out of a silly party game. What's next Blumhouse's Hide and Seek or Blumhouse's Spin the Bottle. Well regardless of how dumb I thought the concept was, I was still interested in seeing it. It's safe to say Blumhouse is pretty much the king of horror movies at the moment and since I loved Happy Death Day (also released on Friday the 3th) I figured I'd give it a shot. Truth or Dare follows a group of vacationing teenagers who end up playing a game of truth or dare at an abandoned church. The game is cursed, it follows you wherever you go, and you have to choose truth or dare, or you die. What makes Truth or Dare especially creepy are the smiles. The people who ask you truth or dare all have stretched out smiles that look something like a Snapchat filter. Which is different then most horror movies that use creepy eyes. I've actually never played truth or dare in my entire life. Mostly because I don't think I can handle revealing something about myself or doing something I'll regret. The movie is sort of like the game in how it's a good way to kill time. It's also kind of a rip off of my favorite horror movie It Follows. Both of which deal with a supernatural curse that follows you wherever you go. I liked Truth or Dare fine enough, but I knew to expect a stupid movie from a premise like this. Now I have to ask you something... truth or dare?
Happy Death Day (2017)
Worst Birthday Ever
Happy Death Day is the first (and so far only) time I went to see a movie on a whim. More so, because I never go to see horror movies in theaters. Along with comedies, horror movies never felt like they were worth a theater going experience. So my going to see Happy Death Day wasn't based on it being a horror movie. It actually first caught my attention when I saw the TV spots for the movie. I took notice of the "time loop" storyline and that at least made me curious. Then I realized that October was going to be a mostly scarce month for movies. I had seen two movies by myself this year already, and they were both disappointments. I needed to see a movie that would redeem the year for me. Happy Death Day has a "time loop," an attractive lead, and plus it was Friday the 13th, so I figured why not. It was a good idea, because Happy Death Day is a lot of fun. Tree (short for Theresa) is your typical selfish college girl who sleeps around and parties. She wakes up on her birthday and lives out her day until she is suddenly killed by a killer in a baby mask. The "time loop" plays out pretty much as you'd expect (a lot like Groundhog Day). With the main character first being confused, then having a break down, then doing whatever they want, and then finally improving their life. The horror element felt like it came in at just the right moments. Though the best thing about the movie is easily Jessica Rothe's performance. Her character is funny, smart, and eventually badass. I definitely wasn't expecting much from this movie. Happy Death Day was a very pleasant surprise.
The Glass Castle (2017)
Life in Welch
The Glass Castle is probably my favorite book that I've read, but not the best movie that I've seen. As I child, I was never really much of a reader. I always dreaded reading in front of my fellow classmates and I had a short attention span. So reading an entire novel felt almost impossible to me (I would read a few chapters then never finish). I would always rely on others to read the books that were mandatory for class. It wasn't until my Senior year that I finally read a book that kept me invested until the end of the book. The Glass Castle is the true story of a woman who grew up in a less than ideal home life. Her family was always moving from place to place, having almost nothing to eat, and living with an alcoholic father and hippie mother. So when I found out that they were going to make a movie, I was thrilled. Everything about it seemed like a success. From the casting to the author's involvement. So what went wrong? I actually did like the movie. The performances are terrific and it does feel like they didn't ignore the message of the book. The main problem is the fact that they made it a little to "Hollywood." The book is very "R," with a lot of stuff that they cut in order to keep it "PG-13." They don't gloss over anything important, but they don't push the boundaries enough either. So for the most part, The Glass Castle was satisfying enough. I'm just glad it got adapted.
The Circle (2017)
They're Watching You
The Circle is a mixed bag of ideas that, in my opinion, could have been much better. Now I'm not the kind of guy who reads a book before seeing a movie, but I decided to for this movie. Mostly because I wanted to see the movie by myself. The Circle, written by Dave Eggers, is the story of a young woman named Mae who gets a position at the prestigious tech company "The Circle." I found the book to be rather interesting (although a bit of a downer). The book is so dense that I figured they'd cut a lot and change things around. The movie manages to keep just about all the dialogue the same, but it does cut some stuff that I felt was important. In the end it makes for a very messy movie that probably shouldn't have been made into a movie. Even with a star studded cast. I see The Circle more as a collection of ideas that are more or less likely in the real world. Ideas like full time surveillance are just too much of a scary thought. If you do chose to watch The Circle, see it as a cautionary tale.
Nerve (2016)
Are You a Watcher or a Player?
Nerve is the kind of movie that hooked me from the start. I was curious when I first saw the trailer on You Tube. Even though the trailer sort of give away a lot. I was intrigued by the premise of an online truth or dare style game (minus the truth). It was one of those rare times where I went to see a movie by myself. Normally I see movies with my brother or entire family. This was an exception because I was the only one who had any interest. One of my secret obsessions is prank videos, so this was the movie for me. Is it a good movie, it depends on your point of view. I loved the concept for the movie. One of the best things about the movie is its color palette. The movie is filled with stellar neon pinks, greens, and blues. Another positive is the chemistry between Emma Roberts and Dave Franco. As well as the teen humor and building tension near the end. So I loved the movie. Watch the movie and judge for yourself. Do you accept the challenge?