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midwestchaser
Reviews
Drag Me to Hell (2009)
Decent but cheesy
Plot was somewhat interesting and different than the cliche storylines out there. The plot is still a bit cliche where the main character finds out *just* in time how to save herself. I will give props for the ending not being the romantic happy ending you usually see. The acting can be really cheesy at times which is my biggest complaint. For me it was really noticeable, especially towards the end and it ended up distracting me from what was going on. Still, overall I would say it's a decent movie. Would have liked to see more of the demon or more of the ghosts during the seance. I did really like that the demon was physical with the main character and that it wasn't just a mental game. That might be the biggest difference for me that makes this a decent movie.
Skjelvet (2018)
Decent disaster movie
The special effects and creativity of some of the disaster scenes were cool. Having said that, a lot of it seems really unrealistic. For a movie that wants to be more serious than San Andreas or 2012, showing the earthquake coming by having the ground jumping up and down like waves in the ocean seemed incredibly cheesy. Also, having some high rises completely crumble right away while the building our characters are in remains in tact enough to make it out alive also seems cheesy/way too convenient. I think they could have done more to show how they actually make it out of the building. Getting down from the 34th floor in a half collapsed building wouldn't be easy. Effects were good, storyline not as good. Still worth a watch.
Don't Look Up (2021)
Solid End of the world movie
The political tone of the movie is quite strong and can be a bit much but overall I think the storyline and acting make the movie worth it. I like that there is so much dysfunction in the government, media, and society because if Covid taught us anything it's that this is the more likely outcome than everyone magically coming together. This dysfunction can also be a bit over the top but I think for the most part it works. I also like that in the end there is no magical, fairy tell ending where a hero saves the entire world. Far too many end of the world movies end in ridiculous ways where somehow everything turns out fine. I'm glad this movie didn't shy away from the end of the world. Overall I think it was a solid movie, even if the political undertones get a bit distracting.
Contagion (2011)
Not Bad
This movie isn't bad considering they didn't have the hindsight of how a global pandemic would actually playing out like we have in 2022. I think they were very accurate in how a virus could start and spread, highlighting how many things we all touch and ways we could infect each other. I think it was a little ridiculous having seizures and foaming at the mouth be the main serious symptoms of the virus. Maybe there is a virus out there like that but the more likely cause of death is probably similar to what we saw with Covid. It was also wrong about how things collapse. I don't have enough time to go over every detail but in my opinion they undersold some aspects and way oversold others (eg having National guard closing state borders while only a few people are wearing a mask). The societal breakdown was probably a bit ridiculous too but I enjoyed watching how quickly they think people turn on each other. I don't think it would happen that quickly if we had another pandemic but who knows. Overall, a solid movie. Some of it probably seems unrealistic now that we have all gone through exactly what the movie was about. Still, I think the pros outweigh the cons for this one.
Last Shift (2014)
Solid Horror/paranormal
Solid acting and plot. Wish we would have gotten to know a little more about the cultists but still an effective horror/ghost story.
Gon-ji-am (2018)
Solid Ghost Movie
We get to know enough about the characters to care about them. The scare scenes are well done but what is actually attacking them is left as a bit of a mystery. We don't get much closure on what happens to the characters after they are attacked and possessed. Did they all die? Did anyone escape? What happened after the chick gets dragged off by the naked guy? I'm sure the intention was to leave it all to the viewer's imagination but we get that so much with these kinds of movies. I wish just once a movie could have the courage to answer some of these questions instead of taking the easy way out and letting us use our imagination to fill in the gaps. Either way, solid movie that doesn't feel like it is just rehashing similar movies.
Hell House LLC (2015)
Solid
The movie solid. It is able to be creepy throughout without relying on loud jump scares, which I appreciate. The biggest problem I had with it is how little detail we get about exactly how the characters did in the end or what causes them to realize something isn't right while the show is going on. Instead, we are left with relatively vague, leave it to your imagination scenes. More concrete answers in those scenes at the end would have been really, really cool.
The Crazies (2010)
Interesting take on zombies
This is an interesting take on zombie. The movie makes you hate the government and military but also makes you wish they did more because society left ungoverned is worse than anything the government can possibly imagine. In the end, the movie ends on a cliff hanger that is ripe for a sequel. If we ever get that sequel is yet to be seen. Either way, the suspense combined with enough violence and gore, is enough to make this movie entertaining. The ending will make you wonder what's next.
Population 436 (2006)
Decent thriller
Decent thriller with enough eery suspense to keep you entertained. Went lower with the rating because I have chased storms all over North Dakota and it doesn't look anything like it's depicted in the movie. It might be geographic bias but I say figure it oot.