Quick Movie Review

Sinister 2 (2015, USA) | Rating: 3/5
Both Ophelia and myself have reviewed the first installment to this refreshing and haunting story. Similar to the first movie, I was a little cautious going into this sequel as I felt that it was perfectly fine as a standalone, yet I was curious how they would continue it. I waited until it was released on DVD, for one reason or another that I don't completely remember. While watching this sequel, I was curious how this story was going to play out and I was a little afraid that it would go overboard with the good points of the first movie and...it kinda did. There's more home movies, creepy children, and cult shenanigans. They weren't all bad though. The videos were still quite eerie, but with the addition of a soundtrack, it kinda made it a little less creepy in comparison. Also, once again, I really wish that they didn't show the "monster" so blatantly. Overall, it was a decent addition, despite it using evil child tropes. It was executed well enough to warrant good entertainment, but I wouldn't want this to be a full blown franchise.



Freaks of Nature (2015, USA) | Rating: 2.5/5
I vaguely mentioned this movie in my short review for Scouts Guide to the Zombie Apocalypse and this movie doesn't just deal with zombies, but vampires too. Humans, vampires, and zombies co-exist together in this town, but there are some prejudices among these three groups. Despite their past history, our main characters, among others of their kind, attend high school together. Something arises between them and causes these groups to attack each other and suddenly a common threat appears on their little town. Our main characters band together to find and save their loved ones and destroy the alien threat that looms over their city. So, not quite apocalyptic, but kinda close. This comedy is a bit hit and miss with its humor and action. The characters are decent and the story was entertaining enough to get through. It's not that memorable of a movie as say Cooties, but it isn't awful either.



Zootopia (2016, USA) | Rating: 4.5/5
I must admit that originally, I wasn't planning on seeing this. For some reason, I guess it looked a little goofy or something. I can't really explain it. Over time, the commercials became a little more appealing and my mother's excitement became somewhat contagious. Obviously, we went to see it and...I had a very good time with it. This is definitely a great animated feature for the whole family as it not only provides cuteness, entertainment, action, and laughs, but touches on some real life social commentary that'll make both young and old attendees think a little. The characters are so much fun and very lovable; they definitely move the story along and make this investigation worth the journey. The colors are very vibrant and the art style is polish and animated, which is to be expected from Disney. If you haven't seen it already, what are you waiting for? This a great movie that has a balance of lighthearted fun and thought provoking maturity like Inside Out and I appreciate it.



Pixels (2015, USA) | Rating: 3/5
Much like The Cobbler, I was curious if this was really as bad as everyone said it was or they just dumped it in the bad pile because Adam Sandler is the star. In short, it wasn't that terrible of a movie. If it removed some of the dumb potty or elementary humor that pollutes a lot of his more recent films, it definitely would be better, but what we're given is still entertaining to me. This is definitely not a movie I would think or criticize too deeply. I enjoyed the nostalgia of arcade culture and the rivalry between Sandler and Peter Dinklage was amusing. Although, I do agree with Black Nerd Comedy with certain points on the pixelated cast [here's the spoiler review] that they don't mesh with previously established character traits, but it didn't ruin the movie for me...except maybe a little bit of the end.



A Girl Like Her (2015, USA) | Rating: 4/5
Don't let the cover deceive you, but this isn't a horror flick. No, this movie is about bullying. A reporter does a documentary on a student that attempted suicide,fghf after being bullied by a childhood friend. It's a very realistic situation that I can somewhat personally relate to from my past. Most bullying stories would focus on demonizing the bully and making us sympathize with the victim completely, but this movie takes a different approach with the subject. While I recognize that not all bullies are victims, some of them are just downright evil, but instead it gives us both sides of the story. The movie offers both footage from the victim's best friend and the reporter's footage for their documentary that captures the bully's backstory and actions. Bullying is a problem around the world and I feel like this movie successfully gives us the emotional tools to deal with both problems of our main characters, while not completely turning the bully into a sympathetic victim. Yes, I feel bad that she is a product of her environment, but it doesn't excuse her actions toward her childhood friend or even her circle of friends. Check it out and let your mind marinate on the matter.


If there's something you want me to review (or want a more in depth review of the movies above or previous ones), check out this post on how you can submit requests.