Elisabeth Sparkle, renowned for an aerobics show, faces a devastating blow on her 50th birthday as her boss fires her. Amid her distress, a laboratory offers her a substance which promises to transform her into an enhanced version of herself. (Google)
We’ve watched The Substance despite our fear to end up with another movie like Smile (which we dislike). And I’m very glad we did! In my many years watching horror and crazy movies of all genres, I’ve never seen something like this.
First, the cinematography is beyond excellent. Each scene is perfectly crafted to fit the vibe of the movie. From the font used for the substance (yes, I love fonts) to the music or the design of each room, everything is impeccable.
Demi Moore redefines what it means to “give it all”. I don’t think that I’ve ever seen anyone committing this much to a role, her performance is fantastic. Dennis Quaid and Margaret Qualley are perfect fits too.
While the movie starts as a satire of how a male dominated showbiz easily discards aging women, it ends up completely out-of-this-world batshit crazy. I must warn people who are easily squeamish, this may not be the right movie for you!
We had a fantastic time watching The Substance. It left us half baffled and half philosophizing about aging gracefully in a world that pushes youth everywhere you look.
Goodbye, 2024, you’ve been quite a ride, But let’s be honest, we’re not teary-eyed. The shows were bland, the movies fell flat, And gaming? Well, let’s not dwell on that.
Too quiet, a bit of a bore, We hoped for so much, but you gave us chores. We’ll leave you behind without much regret, And look to the future with hopes freshly set.
Here’s to a new year, fresh and bright, 2025, come make things right!
A young woman named Sam finds herself trapped in New York City during the early stages of an invasion by alien creatures with ultra-sensitive hearing. (IMDB)
The movie is divided in two parts.
The first half is about the invasion. As usual, an unexptecting humanity gets crushed by the sudden attack of angry (and hungry) creatures from space. This part is pretty brutal. The cinematography is really well done and communicate a real sense of danger. We almost were afraid to make a sound in our coach.
The second half is less about survival than it is about drama. Samira isn’t really trying to escape New York, since she’s dying of an incurable disease. All she wants is to relive a slice of her old life, which includes eating a pizza. On her way, she meets Eric, a really nice guy who will do anything to fulfil her wish. All along their journey, they’re followed by Samira’s cat.
Even if it was really well acted, I can’t lie about my disappointment toward the second part of the movie. I’m not a drama fan. In fact, I hate it, it’s depressing and I’m really not watching TV to feel sad. If it wouldn’t have been so well acted, I’m not sure that I would have watched it until the end. Just stop using horror to masquerade a drama, it’s misleading!
Two young religious women are drawn into a game of cat-and-mouse in the house of a strange man. (IMDB)
Visually, Heretic is stunning. The cinematography captures the isolation of Reed’s home, creating an atmosphere that triggers both a feeling of beauty and unease.
At first, Reed’s house appears quaint and unremarkable, much like himself. However, as the plot progresses and we venture further into his home, it undergoes a metamorphosis, becoming more imposing, before sinking into the basement gruesomeness. This transformation symbolises the unveiling of Reed’s true nature.
Sisters Paxton and Barnes are perfectly portrayed by Chloe East and Sophie Thatcher. Sister Paxton starts as sheepish and shy and develops throughout the movie while Sister Barnes is more self-assured. While facing the man who seems to be the trigger of this transformation, the difference between the Sisters results in an awesome chemistry.
I kept the best for the end… After playing in the latest Dungeons & Dragons movie, Hugh Grant delivers a fantastic performance in Heretic and may very well jump in my top 5 favourite actors.
Heretic is among the best movies we’ve seen this year and I just found out that there’s gonna be a sequel… What a great end-of-year present!
When a sinister threat from his childhood returns to haunt him, a father desperately struggles against his deepest inner fear. Only this time, the fight isn’t for himself; it’s for his family. (IMDB)
Hollywood doesn’t seem to tarry of old folklore tales that can be adapted on TV… Not that I complain, the more horror movies, the better. However, I just wish that they would stop digging old creepy stories from I-don’t-know-where and present it as if it was coming from our collective childhoods. I actually never heard about this one before.
While the movie was entertaining enough for a pop-corn evening, I couldn’t help but feeling bad for the main protagonist who seem to have the worst luck in his private life, then moves back to his childhood town, only to see his life being gaslighted even further.
Beware SPOILERS below.
One of the biggest gimmick of the movie is the nanny cam. Which leads me to the greatest plot hole in the entire movie… If you would know for fact that your kid is in danger, would you still decide to keep him in a separate room while the adults are sleeping together? That made zero sense.
However, wouldn’t it be for the abrupt sucky end, we didn’t have a bad time watching Bagman. There’s apparently going to be a sequel and I’m actually curious. I just hope that it addresses the characters’ decisions better and tightens up the storytelling because I felt left on a cliffhanger.
When a group of friends recklessly violates the sacred rule of Tarot readings, they unknowingly unleash an unspeakable evil trapped within the cursed cards. One by one, they come face to face with fate and end up in a race against death. (IMDB)
Tarot’s plot feels like a Final Destination movie where a bunch of friends try to escape their grim fate. Unfortunately, it isn’t as good. First, the entire movie is a bit too “monochrome”, everything is dark and green and orange. Then, the kill scenes aren’t as imaginative. And, finally, the protagonists didn’t really hit any mark, neither lovable, nor hateable.
That being said, Tarot remains an enjoyable movie with a good dose of supernatural suspense. Good enough for a single watch, if you’re in the mood for a no-frills, entertaining scare.
Soforah is busy cooking the delights that will light up our evening while Christmas movies are playing streaming (Hot frosty is actually quiet good)… In a few hours, we’ll be binging Rings of Power for two days while stuffing ourselves and opening our presents. It really is the best time of the year.
We wish you all a great Christmas Eve. May you all have a dreamy one!
And yes, I still say Christmas! Not that many people with offendable sensibilities read this blog, but I still like to make my point. Here, at Spacewocket, we will never stop to say Christmas!
Art the Clown is set to unleash chaos on the unsuspecting residents of Miles County as they peacefully drift off to sleep on Christmas Eve. (IMDB)
I don’t know what’s up with Damien Leone, but I hope that he never changes. Terrifier 3 is what real horror should be. It’s brutal, insane, violent, gore and relentless. But what I love most about the movie is that it’s raw, from the camera style to the almost entire absence of CGI.
Damien Leone said that several big studios showed interest in financing this movie based on the unexpected success of Terrifier 2, even without a full script, but he turned them all down because he is certain that they would never let him film the opening scene alone, which he describes as “very controversial”. Leone commented that the only reason that he can be so uncompromising in his depiction of horror and gore is because he finances his movies independently, creates all the special effects himself to keep costs down, and has no big studio breathing down his neck to make the movie more mainstream. (IMDB)
Leone also said that he would take this movie further than the previous ones… Did he succeed? HELL YEAH! He makes even the most seasoned and desensitised horror fan (such as myself) feel uncomfortable with some scenes.
I was particularly happy that the horror scenes weren’t as punctuated by the story as they were in the second movie. I don’t watch Terrifier to get caught in drama, I’m here for the kills, may they be as bloody and sick as a human brain can possibly imagine them.
Also, we watched it a few days before Christmas and I enjoyed the holiday theme, nice touch!
So, if you wanna watch a REAL HORROR movie, Terrifier 3 is what you’re looking for. Warning: keep the kids away, there isn’t even a PG rating that could fit this movie, it’s the worst (or the best if you’re like me).
A father and his twin teenage sons fight to survive in a remote farmhouse at the end of the world. (IMDB)
I am 50 years-old and I’ve seen a lot of monsters, from Alien to Strangers Things and everything in between. Yet, Arcadian manages to be so creative with the monsters, that it managed to surprise me. Kudos to the special effects for showing me that I, actually, haven’t seen it all yet.
The dialogues are well written and the characters are believable. As for the story, at no point will you be guided by the hand through Arcadian, it’s one of those movies that makes you connect the dots yourself.
Nicholas Cage is believable as a fierce father and the rest of the cast is great too. The movie is bleak and it manages to create enough tension to keep you interested.
We had a great time watching Arcadian and, most of all, its gritty ambiance lingered for a few days… That’s not something every movie manages to accomplish. Let’s hope for a sequel!
A young American woman is sent to Rome to begin a life of service to the church, but encounters a darkness that causes her to question her faith and uncovers a terrifying conspiracy that hopes to bring about the birth of evil incarnate. (IMDB)
This is Arkasha Stevenson’s debut movie… And she directed a masterpiece!
There isn’t anything that isn’t absolutely top notch in this movie. The story is great and the acting is perfect. Nell Tiger Free’s part is increasingly demanding as the movie goes and she’s able to provide a stellar performance in every scene.
What also makes The First Omen absolutely stunning is the cinematography. From the fantastic settings to the costumes, Stevenson creates an eerie 70s atmosphere that lasts until the last minute of the movie.
When it comes to horror prequels, this is probably the best I’ve ever seen. Not only does it it give context to the original movie, but it does it with an incredible style.
