Movies
"Scary Stories to Tell in the Dark"
Rating: 3.5/5 Stars
I remember as a kid the anthology series "Scary Stories to Tell in the Dark" was incredibly popular. It was pretty much equal to the infamy of "Goosebumps". While I did read the latter series, I never did with the former. So, I had no real expectations of what the movie adaptation would be like. I was still incredibly interested in it, especially with Guillermo del Toro having screenwriting credits. This movie is overall really solid, even if it isn't a particularly unique horror flick. I think what brings it ever so slightly above some of its contemporaries is the way the monsters are designed. Each of them is quite unique and has their own cool flair to them. Also, for a PG-13 horror film, this one is able to deliver the scares better than most that have this rating. I think this movie does a pretty good job at ramping up the tension, ESPECIALLY with the scarecrow monster. I really think that scarecrow sequence is one of the best moments in horror I've seen this year. The performances in this film by the young cast are overall good. Zoe Colletti definitely stands out as the highlight as main character Stella. She really has some range in this film and fleshes out her character. Colletti helps us understand exactly what her character is going through, and it's easy to root for her. I really thought she brought something special to the film, and I definitely see her getting more roles in the future. Michael Garza is also really good as Ramon Morales. He complements Colletti perfectly; the two's chemistry is impeccable. I also thought Dean Norris did good for the small time he was in the film as Stella's father. There was an emotional scene between the two of them that really gripped me. There are some issues with this film. Though they aren't in obnoxious quantity, the fake-out jump scares can get a little annoying. Also, the other two younger characters in this movie, Auggie and Chuck, are a little hard to care about. I think they could've gotten more development. This movie can also feel ever so slightly predictable at times, but it's not to the point where I found myself getting bored. In fact, this is a rather fun horror movie, one that's easy to watch and enjoy with friends. I recommend it!
"Crawl"
Rating: 3.5/5 Stars
The feelings I have about "Scary Stories" can be somewhat applied to "Crawl". I had pretty low expectations for this film to be honest. The trailers made it look not that great. It just seemed like it was going the "Sharknado" route where it wasn't wanting to be taken too seriously, and would be maybe a case of so bad it's good. However, this movie pleasantly surprised me. Is it a legendary thriller film? No, not by any means, but you really could do much worse. I really wish the trailers had marketed this film better, as it really is the seminal summer film. There are only two big performances here and both of them are really good. Kaya Scodelario is excellent as Haley, really giving it her all here to give us a good lead role. I like how she portrays her character as someone who is tough and vulnerable at the same time. Barry Pepper is also great as Haley's father Dave. These two actors had a convincing relationship together. I appreciated that the movie was invested in their reconciliation just as much as it was invested in the alligators trying to kill them. Speaking of which, I appreciate that they didn't make the alligators creatures who do things that are beyond their abilities. I felt like everything they do here is what a real-life gator would do. It's also nice to see both Haley and Dave don't make idiotic decisions. Every decision they make is one that makes a semblance of sense. As far as negatives of the film go, I suppose that it's hard to get completely invested with the main characters, as this is a short movie. They're likeable, but they're not necessarily characters I remember very well. Also, the movie ends a little bit abruptly. I feel like there could've been one more scene to end it off better. This is a pretty good horror movie, so I recommend seeing it.
"Dumbo"
Rating: 1.5/5 Stars
Well, I held out a small bit of optimism that maybe Tim Burton could
do right by "Dumbo". But I should have remembered that this is the same
director who did the remake of "Alice in Wonderland", one of the first
in Disney's long, miserable roster of unnecessary reboots. So, maybe I
shouldn't have been hopeful at all. This movie is quite bad, perhaps one
of the worst of Disney's remakes so far.
I feel like reinterpreting Dumbo is already a tough job. The original film is barely over an hour long, and the main character is silent. The movie had to be short, and its simple length made it really work. I love the original film honestly; I think it's underrated as far as the classic cartoons go. It's an undeniably hard watch for a kid's film, having a lot of heartbreaking moments. But, the message of self-acceptance and realizing there are those who will care about you no matter what is what makes the movie work. The relationship between Timothy Mouse and Dumbo is really what made the movie work. Also, Dumbo is just an unbelievably likeable character. So, what does this remake decide to do? It scraps pretty much everything about the original, including the message, to make a film that is incredibly messy, mostly weakly acted, and frustrating.
This film works when the focus is on Dumbo, which is unfortunately not as often as one would hope. The titular elephant is undeniably cute, and his CGI is realistic enough. I felt sympathy for his journey to find his mother (the only plot that has any real emotional weight attached to it), and whenever his mother and him were on the screen, you rooted for them to be reunited. Also, this film visually has some typical Burton flairs. The amusement park has a unique, eye-popping look to it, and the costuming makes for a colorful watching experience. Finally, Danny Devito seems to be having fun in his performance, and is the only human character I felt a shred of sympathy and understanding towards.
Those are the only real positive things I have to say about this film. The plot of the original Dumbo was simplistic, and worked because of that. This movie has FAR too many things going on, and none of them are worth caring about, save for Dumbo's search for his mother. One plot revolves Holt trying to bond with his kids as well as become a part of the circus again. Another involves Holt's daughter Milly trying to become a scientist. Another involves corporate villain V.A. Vandervere wanting to take Dumbo for himself to increase the appeal of his amusement park. And yet another involves Medici wanting to help his circus become more successful. All of these plots come together to create a real mess of a movie that is hard to watch. What makes it even tougher is all the truly awful acting here. Collin Farrell is really laying his Southern accent on much to thick, and is so uninvested in everything happening. He doesn't even seem to care too much for Dumbo, which is a bad thing considering he's basically the main character. Michael Keaton plays an over-the-top corporate villain, and it's amazing that Disney doesn't realize how ironic it is that they're making a rich man their antagonist. Both child actors here are truly atrocious, with Nico Parker in particular acting like a robot. I'm not sure if I can entirely blame them, though, as their lines are awkwardly written. Poor Eva Green shouldn't be in this movie at all. I don't really know what purpose she served honestly. They seem to try to make- and I joke you not- Dumbo be slightly IN LOVE with her? What the heck, Burton, he's a baby? Maybe I'm looking into it too much, but nevertheless, it's still pointless for her to be in the movie.
Everything that made the original work here is gone: there doesn't even really seem to be a central theme to the movie that I can think of. There was too much going on for any sort of message to come through. I guess the message could be that family is important? Even then, that doesn't come across well because of how soulless this movie is. This film is almost as insulting as the "Beauty and the Beast" remake- but not quite. Still, it's one of the worst movies I've seen this year, and I'm glad I didn't pay to see it in theaters.
I feel like reinterpreting Dumbo is already a tough job. The original film is barely over an hour long, and the main character is silent. The movie had to be short, and its simple length made it really work. I love the original film honestly; I think it's underrated as far as the classic cartoons go. It's an undeniably hard watch for a kid's film, having a lot of heartbreaking moments. But, the message of self-acceptance and realizing there are those who will care about you no matter what is what makes the movie work. The relationship between Timothy Mouse and Dumbo is really what made the movie work. Also, Dumbo is just an unbelievably likeable character. So, what does this remake decide to do? It scraps pretty much everything about the original, including the message, to make a film that is incredibly messy, mostly weakly acted, and frustrating.
This film works when the focus is on Dumbo, which is unfortunately not as often as one would hope. The titular elephant is undeniably cute, and his CGI is realistic enough. I felt sympathy for his journey to find his mother (the only plot that has any real emotional weight attached to it), and whenever his mother and him were on the screen, you rooted for them to be reunited. Also, this film visually has some typical Burton flairs. The amusement park has a unique, eye-popping look to it, and the costuming makes for a colorful watching experience. Finally, Danny Devito seems to be having fun in his performance, and is the only human character I felt a shred of sympathy and understanding towards.
Those are the only real positive things I have to say about this film. The plot of the original Dumbo was simplistic, and worked because of that. This movie has FAR too many things going on, and none of them are worth caring about, save for Dumbo's search for his mother. One plot revolves Holt trying to bond with his kids as well as become a part of the circus again. Another involves Holt's daughter Milly trying to become a scientist. Another involves corporate villain V.A. Vandervere wanting to take Dumbo for himself to increase the appeal of his amusement park. And yet another involves Medici wanting to help his circus become more successful. All of these plots come together to create a real mess of a movie that is hard to watch. What makes it even tougher is all the truly awful acting here. Collin Farrell is really laying his Southern accent on much to thick, and is so uninvested in everything happening. He doesn't even seem to care too much for Dumbo, which is a bad thing considering he's basically the main character. Michael Keaton plays an over-the-top corporate villain, and it's amazing that Disney doesn't realize how ironic it is that they're making a rich man their antagonist. Both child actors here are truly atrocious, with Nico Parker in particular acting like a robot. I'm not sure if I can entirely blame them, though, as their lines are awkwardly written. Poor Eva Green shouldn't be in this movie at all. I don't really know what purpose she served honestly. They seem to try to make- and I joke you not- Dumbo be slightly IN LOVE with her? What the heck, Burton, he's a baby? Maybe I'm looking into it too much, but nevertheless, it's still pointless for her to be in the movie.
Everything that made the original work here is gone: there doesn't even really seem to be a central theme to the movie that I can think of. There was too much going on for any sort of message to come through. I guess the message could be that family is important? Even then, that doesn't come across well because of how soulless this movie is. This film is almost as insulting as the "Beauty and the Beast" remake- but not quite. Still, it's one of the worst movies I've seen this year, and I'm glad I didn't pay to see it in theaters.
Music
"Eclipse" by Wolves at the Gate
Rating: 4.5/5 Stars
Wolves at the Gate is one of the few bands where I feel that they've only gotten better with each new album they released. This still applies with their newest "Eclipse", which hasn't left my music rotation yet. This album excellently synthesizes everything that works about the band. Some of the songs here are the most intense they've done, while others are some of their most accessible. The album also has some of the best written lyrics of 2019, which deserve a lot of praise. There are so many tracks to commend here. "The Cure" was a great choice for lead single, as it really encapsulates a lot of the central themes of the album: that we live in dark times, and we need to turn to God for a chance of redemption. This album is more honest than most Christian releases about our individual brokenness, and it's not afraid to be vulnerable. I don't think this should go unnoticed. "A Voice in the Violence" is classic WATG, and is my favorite track on the album, as well as one of my favorite songs of the year. The lyrics "Tell me I'm yours/Tell me I'm not alone" bleed with so much honest emotion, and the guitar work in the song cuts deep. Cuts like "Enemy", "Evil Are The Kings", and "Counterfeit" show that the band aren't afraid to have fun. Other cuts like the title track, "History", and "The Sea in Between" are some of the band's most lyrically potent material to date. There's just so much to love about this album, making it easily one of my top 3 favorite releases of the year so far. Please, check it out!
Favorite Songs: "A Voice in the Violence", "The Sea in Between", "Counterfeit", "History", "The Cure", "Enemy"
Least Favorite Songs: "Response"
"Sudden Sky" by Crown The Empire
Rating: 4/5 Stars
The departure of unclean vocalist David Escamilla from Crown the Empire honestly made sense to me the more I thought about it. The band had been going in more and more of a hard rock direction, and Andy Leo could do screams well enough himself. So, I wasn't too worried about the release of "Sudden Sky", but I did have hopes it would be a little bit of a better rock effort than "Retrograde". Thankfully, that turned out to be more than the case. This album may not quite top "Rise of the Runaways", but it's still a really good release in its own right. I appreciate that the album has a bit of a conceptual arc in discussing how we need to find our humanity in a technology-driven world. Andy Leo almost seems to portray himself as robotic in the beginning of the album, and as the release goes on, the lyrics become more vulnerable- dare I say "human". There are a lot of highlights here. The band takes a lot of musical risks, and most of them pay off. Lead single "20/20" is still one of my favorites on the album, specifically for that explosive chorus. Leo is on his A-game here. "Red Pills" is sure to become a fan favorite, especially with that killer guitar breakdown that I wish went on just a little longer. "Under The Skin" stands out as the best moment of the album, with the orchestral elements giving this song a real sense of gravitas. I love the chorus of the song; perhaps one of the most beautiful sounding songs of 2019. "MZRY" is musically dynamic and interesting, with an uplifting chorus that brings to mind a better version of "Millenia". The album ends off great with the title track, where all the band members are at their tightest musically. The only songs that don't work for me are the pretentious (and unnecessary) introductory track and the underwhelming cut "March of the Ignorant".
Favorite Songs: "Under The Skin", "Red Pills", "20/20", "Sudden Sky", "MZRY"
Least Favorite Songs: "March of the Ignorant", "(X)"
"Rewind, Replay, Rebound" by Volbeat
Rating: 3.5/5 Stars
Not really much to say about Volbeat's new release besides if you like Volbeat, then you'll like this album. I like Volbeat, so there was plenty to enjoy here. "Die To Live" is the definite standout with some killer guitar work and a great guest performance from Neil Fallon that ramps up the energy. "Last Day Under The Sun" may be a little repetitive, but it's an undeniable jam, and "Pelvis on Fire" is silly enough to be a lot of fun. The best song on the album is undeniably the epic "The Everlasting", with some of Volbeat's best guitar work to date. I also like the touching closing track "7:24", which is lead vocalist Michael Poulson's touching tribute to his child that he misses. Like most of the band's albums, this one goes on a little too long; some of the excess could've easily been trimmed off. Cuts like "Cloud 9" and "When We Were Kids" come and go with little memorability. Also, sometimes the album turns up the rockabilly aspect to the point of sheer ridiculousness, with songs like "Sorry Sack of Bones" and "Cheapside Sloggers" being a little too over the top for my taste. Still this is a fun album that still shows Volbeat is one of the most consistent rock bands out there right now. Check it out!
Favorite Songs: "The Everlasting", "Die To Live", "7:24", "Last Day Under The Sun", "Pelvis on Fire"
Least Favorite Songs: "Sorry Sack of Bones", "Cheapside Sloggers", "Back When We Were Kids"
"Finding God Before God Finds Me" by Bad Omens
Rating: 3/5 Stars
Bad Omens's sophomore effort "Finding God Before God Finds Me" is certainly an improvement over their debut. I remember being frustrated with their first album, as it was clear the band had talent, but they were using that talent to be a rip-off of "Sempiternal"-era Bring Me The Horizon. There were songs with potential, with "The Letdown" in particular jumping off the page. I was hoping to see better out of them with their sophomore effort, and lead single "Careful What You Wish For" made me optimistic.
Overall, this album is a pretty solid, but it is far from perfect. The album begins on a really intriguing note with "Kingdom of Cards", which feels like the most original song that Bad Omens has done. In fact, I'd probably say it's the best track on here for its intriguing lyrical content, and the band are firing on all cylinders. It may even be their best song in general. I still think "Careful What You Wish For" is a major highlight, especially for its powerful synthline. "The Hell I Overcame" is a solid slice of metalcore, with the chorus having a unavoidable catchiness to it. "Dethrone" is an instant standout, as a super intense track with a great breakdown. It seems like Bad Omens continues to truly shine either on tracks that are entirely clean vocals ("Kingdom of Cards") or entirely screamed vocals ("Dethrone"). I hope that they will play to those strengths more on future releases. The other two highlights here are "Blood" and "Mercy", with "Mercy"'s contemplations on spirituality being intriguing to me.
However, even though this album is an improvement over the debut, the release still suffers from similar problems to the debut. This time, instead of sounding like "Sempiternal"-era BMTH, the band seems to be replicating "That's The Spirit" in many places. "Running In Circles" is a particularly egregious example of this. Noah Sebastian's screams and cleans sound almost exactly like Oli's to the point that it's nearly plagiarism. I know you can't help how your vocals sound, but there are other places he's clearly making an effort to sound different from Sykes. That's not the case for this song or "Burning Out", which is definitely the weakest track on the album. I also found "Said and Done" to be quite forgettable, and "If I'm There" is a cheesy way to close out the album. The lyrical content on this album is overall pretty good (and is partially responsible for bumping this album's rating up), but here the lyrics are eye-roll worthy in their cheesiness.
Overall, this release is just fine. There are some songs that will stay in my rotation, but I don't see myself returning to it any time soon. I'd say it's good enough to warrant at least a couple listens if you're interested.
Favorite Songs: "Kingdom of Cards", "Dethrone", "Careful What You Wish For", "Mercy", "The Hell I Overcame"
Least Favorite Songs: "Burning Out", "Running in Circles", "Said and Done", "If I'm There"
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