Jimbo's top 13 films of 2022

 So, yes I am five month behind in sending this. Have some personal matters that have kept me from being open to writing my silly blogs I usually toss out there. After watching near 85 movies from 2022 this is what I have developed.  I still hope you check out this list of the best movies from 2022. It's worth it to either get a new experience, not miss out on a gem, or catch up on what was hip last year. My taste vary from weird abstract conceptual films to a few Hollywood blockbusters. There should be something for everyone if you're ready to experiment or not.

The reason why there are 13 films is cause I choose the best film of the month and then number 13 is a wildcard, a film that wasn't the best of a month but still belongs on the list. Enjoy and let me know with what you agree, disagree, or are going to watch due to my recommendations.  

13.  Scream 5 by Matt Bettinelli & OlpinTyler Gillett<US>  (Jan) B

{Paramount +}

Goal of this movie was to transition from the established Scream stars to some new kids. I can't exactly say if that was a success but it was a solid addition to the Scream franchise. Like always, I was into the whodunit mystery and the creative kills while the films kept the restraint to not go Jason silly with the deaths. To say the least this was a very studious horror movie, which hits the necessary notes. The story was a bit dramatic but the new characters sold the circumstances enough in their performance to keep the audience engaged. One can't wrong in catching this addition. To the filmmakers' credit they use the world developed in the first four movies and don't try to pull off a soft reboot. A tough competition for horror movies this year but I'm happy that this franchise is still showing vibrant signs of life.

12. Nope by Jordan Peele<US> (July) B-

{Amazon Prime}

This is another great twilight zone concept by Jordan Peele with a solid title too. It's the first thing that comes out of folks mouths when they something incredibly messed up in a horror movie. Similar to Us, this film was shot very well and had pretty decent dialogue. There was a lot to put together metaphorically but when applying to the films actual events it doesn't always make sense, which isn't always a problem as long as the audience is enjoying the ride. Peele pieces together some engrossing set pieces, that are very original but don't hold water for a feature length film. This isn't always why I watch these films, I don't need my feature length test to be passed, I just want to be brought new and riveting ideas. Nope definitely brings this forth. I definitely recommend watching this sci-fi/comedy/horror but don't ask questions you're not ready to get the answers to. I do want to share my admiration for when the monsters attack, I immensely enjoy their approach as those scenes had me on my toes the most. I do want to give props to the performances as they were fun and a great part of what kept audience engage throughout this whole monster fest. The duo of Daniel Kaluuya & Keke Palmer pull of a great contrasting performances. Even though he was a little over the top, intentionally so I'm sure, Steven Yeun also was a great addition as a supporting cast. If you want to see some new ideas with well shot visuals check out Nope.

11.  Dr. Strange by Sam Raimi <US> (May) A-

{Disney +}

The only superhero movie to make the list this year. It won me over but that is not the case for everyone, who has viewed this movie. A lot of factors enamored me about this movie including the style, finally seeing Wanda as the villain she was protected from being in her show, and the uncanny actions Strange takes to conquer his battles. What made this movie so fun was that no character was safe for the most part. It makes the ride much more engaging when all the characters aren't protected and willing to cross the line. There a lot of fun special effects that are warranted for a movie dealing with witchcraft and magic. With Sam Raimi as the filmmaker, I could definitely find the homages to his Evil Dead films. It had a solid story, kooky crazy fun special effect, and a few good surprising character twist. Folks weren't 100% happy with it but I was satisfied enough to add it to my list and will declare it's one of the more unique Marvel films if you're up for that.

10.  Shut-In by D.J. Caruso<US> (February) B ^

{Dailywire+}

A very solid film that'll leave audience at unease. It has the fun topics of domestic abuse and drug addiction. The protagonist, played by Rainey Qualley, does an incredible job of locking everyone onto her side as she attempts to find a new leaf to turn. It is an intense thriller as we have to discover with Qualley's character, Jessica Nash, how to escape certain predicament her ahole ex traps her in. It's a very simple story but edited and filmed well enough, where no sequence ever gets tiring. This is an incredibly intense flick, I recommend checking out, when you're in a Die Hard mood of sorts.

9. The Outfit by Graham Moore<US> (March) A-

{Amazon Prime}

A very fun movie that puts the audience on their seats. This one I came across by accident and was so happy I did. A thrilling gangster movie about outlaws covering their trail with some high suspense sequences. This is another where pieces are somewhat given to audience but the main key to this watch is the dread of what is going to happen next. Mark Rylance gives a remarkable yet subtle performance, where he tries to adapt the spiraling events. The film can almost come off as a play with how it stays in one location. This simple environment does not give the audience a chance to rest. Between Rylance subtle yet strong performance and the thrilling events encased upon him this is one gangster film worth checking out.

8.Woman King by Gina Prince-Bythewood<US> (Sept) B+

                                                                            {Netflix}

In my eyes Viola Davis can do no wrong. She transforms for whatever role she may come across. Woman King is a historical piece that shows how powerful the female tribe in Africa were when defending those tribes, who couldn't defend themselves. Davis and Thuso Mbedu give great performances of females, who are strong but in a realistic way. It is very insulting all these female badass movies, where they come off too cool for school, and it comes off as just annoying. When the characters are written like this, it becomes very difficult to get emotionally invested. This film does present us powerful female but here they are multidimensional characters as they're each dealing with their own inner demons. A lot of great action. There were no standout battle sequences but the actions was good & consistent enough to carry the film. It was fascinating seeing how the tribes hierarchy works. This was an intriguing and exciting learning experience. It's a little bit lower on the list due to the simplicity of the plot but besides that it holds strong performances, actions, and tribulations in story.

7. ­ Tár by Todd Field (Oct) – A-

                                                                                {-}

Cancel culture is the newest trend in politics when it comes to shutting a figure down. The fear of cancel culture is the canceling doesn't even have to be based on a crime broken but nearly the reflection of an offhanded opinion. What the Cate Blanchett's character is dealing with is something worse than an invalid opinion. This gives an inverse take on cancel culture as usually men fall victims due to their high likeliness of sexual abuse. Now, this film does a great job of presenting the mental unraveling as Cate plays a figure of power, who is rapidly losing it due to her colleagues attempt to save image from what Cate, Tar, may have done. The inverse events of the movie had me interested but Blanchett's performance is what kept me logged into the whole thing. She plays an orchestra conductor, which is a fascinating world of prestige, art, and of course politics. It is long but I found myself getting lost in the little events, that would push Tar further to the edge. It's definitely a tragedy but gripping in how we are in a new world of a female dealing with the issue as a conductor. If you're not interested in seeing inverse politics Blanchett's performance should be enough to give this flick a chance.

6. November - The Menu (Nov) – A-

{Max}

Was looking forward to this film and it did not disappoint. Ralph Fienes gives a solid performance as a pretentious chef who has to overcome an arc on it's own. I was worried the film was going to straight out do a Purge but with chefs; it really only teases this. There's a lot of fun character, who have their comeuppance but the film doesn't 100% revel in its righteousness. There's a lot of great set pieces that are all very well thought out. The pretentious is annoying yet still intriguing. Another fun flick that keeps one guessing and is even kind of fun if you're foodie. The characters are very diverse leaving a lot of room for various creative interactions. This is great watch from 2022 with plenty of fun violence, great kooky characters, and an intriguing plot of why these characters are being served this menu in the first place.

5. Glorious by Rebekah McKendry<US> (Aug) {Sh/Ama} B+

                                                                                {AMC+}

HP Lovecraft films are such hit and misses. There is a niche crowd but not everyone is on board with such abstract and sometimes disturbing ideas. That's mostly the issue with Lovecraft based movies is there always based on ideas that are not easy to present in a visual media. This film decides to hide their conceptual entity in a glory hole. Honestly I didn't put the joke together until the end of the movie of the fact Glorious is an inuendo referring to the glory holy the entity is speaking out of. This film lets the audience unravel several important conclusions. When a film gives the audiences the pieces to a puzzle but doesn't solve it for them, that's when I enjoy a film the most. These top 5 movies hold some element of that. Glorious is dark, disturbing, and sometimes funny. Also, JK Simmons as the voice of the entity is a great choice. He has such a distinct voice and really rocks this role. There were engrossing special effects but when JK demanded the audience's attention, he would get it. Certainly something worth watching if you're ready to go to a acherontic place.

4. Puss In Boot – Last Wish by Joel Crawford & Januel Mercado<US> (Wild: December) A-

{-}

Another unexpected film to land on my list. I enjoy the Shrek franchise enough but after the third one I had no interest in finding out what happened to the characters. What makes Puss in Boots standout is the fantastic animation style similar but not quite the same as Into the Spiderverse; just that very stylized combination of 2d and 3d animation. The story and characters were actually well thought out too. This isn't just a dumb kids movie, where no matter what Puss does there's no consequence. He suffers them and has an intriguing arc in attempt to earn his redemption. Also, this movie does a sleek job of heightening their antagonist. Their are genuine emotions evoked any time the antagonist makes their presence. It's surreal. As Puss was clenching to the wolf so was I. It was nice to have a villain, who evoked this kind of fear and even then their situation wasn't quite so black and white as present. If you are seeking vivid visuals, intriguing characters and overall fun action sequences, jump back into this franchise.

3. Black Phone by Scott Derrickson<US> (June) A-

                                                                    {Amazon Prime}

This movie came as a surprise due to BlumHouse not always putting out the highest quality films. As a horror fans, this was a pleasure to watch. The villain was legit chilling and kept the audience on their toes. The film ends up being a great mystery turned into a pseudo revenge movie. I genuinely wanted to see the villain get their comeuppance and cheered an opportunity this became a possibility. The films does a fantastic job of giving out information and let's the audience have the opportunity for the most part of putting the pieces together. A grand horror movie that even found my heartstrings to pull on for a seconds. Great villain, sound mystery, and compelling characters. Very fitting third place.

2. Everything Everywhere All at Once by Daniel Kwan & Daniel Scheinert <US> (April) A-

{Paramount +}

This runner up has everything between action, emotions, and even some quirky comedy. Now, time travel/mutliverse is just as hot as zombies were with the likes of Rick & Morty, MCU, and the Flash. Like a good sci-fi, movie does not care about the technology only the ideas, characters, and story truly matter. Michelle Yeoh gives a truly uplifting performance of a bumbling yet charismatic, caring, & strong mom, who is in over her head in this fish out of water scenario. It's not a simple black and white film either of who is right and wrong. That's what makes this film so enticing. It deals with a lot of different perspectives, that if they're not a part of out lives it's important to explore as part of American culture as parenting, work/life balance and being an immigrant. Fantastic movie that does not know how to take a break.

1. The Whale by Darren Aronofsky <US> (December) A

                                                                                {-}

Easily the most emotional tolling film on this list. Even though the setting is simple, it builds to an highly frustrating environment due to the actions of the main character, played by Brendan Frasier. He plays a very sympathetic yet infuriating even when he displays that oh so sweet smile. Great performances all across. The film feels very intimate like a play. This is a plot that may not apply to everyone but if it doesn't, it finds a way to get one's heart pumping as if it does. My number one choice is a very gripping choice, that will pull your heart strings with every line delivered.

 Past list: 2009 X 2010 X 2011 X 2012  X 2013 X 2014 X 2015 X 2016 X 2017 x 2018 x 2019 x 2020 x 2021 x 2022

Extra stuff:

Best Male Performance – Ben Foster(The Survivor)

Best Female Performance – Andrea Riseborough (To Leslie)

Best Documentary - Navalny

Worst Movies – 

        Low budget -  Dinner At my Place, 

        Big Budget – Hocus Pocus 2

31 Spooky movies I survived this October

 

1. Sleepy Hollow - Starting of my 31 days of Spooky Movies with Tim Burton's Sleepy Hollow. Atmosphere is great! The story is a bit contrived but Burton still creates great spooky visuals, that are worth admiring. I do think the cartoon short is better. 

    

   
    

2. Coco - Not the spookiest movie but with Dia de Los Muertos, it fits my 31 days of spooky movies. The music is fantastic! I also love the creativity in how they make this dim existence into a festive climate especially with the alebrijes!The movie holds such vibrant colors that makes the most of its settings for sure. The idea of making an impact while your alive so that one can hold on to their existence in passing is somewhat inspirational.  Only nitpick is how it gets a little typical with the ending of the antagonist defeat but I guess I can't get too deep into that without spoilers. 

3. Clockwork Orange - Very disturbing film. A philosophical discussion of who deserves to lose their right of choice. McDowell plays a despicable creature who isn't worthy of redemption but that creates the question; does Alex deserve the mental torture? A lot horrifyingly unforgettable visuals get ingrained in one's brain due to this film like Alex being forced to watch the condition videos for hours on end and the multiple individuals they attack for no distinct reason. Kubrick is a legend with this uncomfortable material.

4. Hostel - Haven't seen this one in a long time. My uncle took me to see this by my request when it was in theater. At that point, I've seen plenty of gory movies but not much sex/nudity. My uncle was very appalled for my sake when he saw how much nudity the movie had. Guess gore is more acceptable than sex because it's more fantasy while sex is more something we're likely to deal with. I remember liking the movie. At the time I compared it to Saw due to the gore. Big difference is Saw had a lot more substance but that faded away as the sequels went on; at least I made it to the 3rd Saw. Didn't even make it to the 2nd Hostel, which I will now do soon. Before I saw Hostel, I had no idea what a hostel was. So, it didn't make me necessarily paranoid of hostels just paranoid of the idea of traveling alone. Can't say that stopped me though. Hostel presents one of those situations, where it's super obvious that everyone is trying to screw the protagonist over but they have no choice then to trust them due to the protagonist being the out of their element majorly. I've only traveled to a foreign country once (I want to do it more), but no way would I go to a hostel. This is not cause what the movie presents but due to one being so vulnerable in so many other ways like rooming with strangers especially when I find Air BnBs to be such a great option. The movie itself doesn't hold much rewatchability goes. Eli Roth does a good crafting the movie but nothing much more to admire. The movie escalates at a good pace setting the audience in this world of despair and paranoia. The gore is done well with grounded practical effects. I remember when I was younger, I was making a lot of odd cultural assumptions about Germans and Japanese in the film. Even though it was in Amsterdam, there were nazis becoming active and how Japanese can't handle any faults, so they must kill themselves. The kid gang is an odd wrench but they don't change the tone of the movie much. Maybe the opposite. Due to all the elements being so alien, the kid gangs even makes it scarier cause Americans aren't used to kids running around in gangs; at least that young.

    I want to make note of the order of the victims. I would think the naive one would be the one who is saved due to them being right about being cautious. Which is fine due to my expectations being reversed. The most notable scene is Rick Hoffman's scene, where he gives the viewers a perspective of the torturers. Beforehand, these were all monsters and now he gives a point of view which could be seen as possible for a human being to have. The ending where the three guides get runover is satisfying but a little goofy when the villains have no qualms for running over civilians but will stop, so the kids can set up a trap. Recommend a viewing for once and awhile but don't set your standards high. Perfect for an annual spooky films series.

5. Hostel 2 - Why even follow the characters from the first one if you're going to kill them off right away? The ol' Alien 3 kind of sequel; can't afford the actors so you kill them off immediately.Not sure how a studio can't afford Jay Hernandez.

    Same hostel(location), same Pulp Fiction, same manager, different lighting...odd; this sequel was recommended by a friend so hopefully this one offers something different. The lighting in Hoste 2 really bothers me. Why'd the timid guy even agree to this? I don't understand his character. Is he so beta to get 'talked' into this? Hope there's a twist with him. Why would the hostel folks give him a saw with the cord too short when they know where it has to reach? Like the chair is always in the same some. How inconvenient. Wah Wah.  Ooh, I guess there may be a twist the beta torturer. Good was getting bored with how black and white the main protagonists were. 

   Why did I watch Hostel 2? Wasn't a good story, wasn't any entertaining gore, and I don't mind the women empowerment deal but it literally took up 5 minutes of the film and I think it was supposed to be the theme of the whole movie. What a waste.

6. Silent Hill  

    

    - Silent Hill is one of my spooky favorite flicks and I don't even play the video games. Great atmosphere, effects, and it's fun trying to figure the hidden analogies.  Also, Pyramid Head is a great monster for everyone to run from. I know I'd be scared if I saw him in real life.  Most definitely recommend.

7. Audition 

   

    - Been awhile since I've watched this. Makes one go over some messed up morals in their brain. Producer was definitely out of line using his job like that but gal has no business doing what she's just cause of her past.  The movie does a great job of getting it's viewers lost in this reality, where can't put their finger on the plot. Not sure that'll work with most. Not the best horror film but a still a very intriguing story with some good nightmare fuel that won't leave one's brain easily.

8. Chopping mall - Great blast from the 80s.  It's as if Chopping Mall knew it would be a time capsule for the 80s from the mall to the 'futuristic' clothes to the clothes to the attitudes. Some neat deaths but somewhat of a boring affair for a movie about killer robots.  There is a head explosion that's worth seeing. Funny to see how the mall was shown to be the aspiration of the future while their 'modern' technology was the killer. A little bit ironic I guess. Fun slasher but may have been better if it was cut down to half the time. 

9. Hocus Pocus - A children's classic that I didn't watch as a child. Just enjoy how much fun the three witches were having despite being so naive to everything. Watching it I did like the tidbit I caught, where the fountain they use is the same one as the one in the Friend's opening song. I don't have much interest in the sequel but I'm sure it will be a nice little bonus for Disney + fans. Thought the design of the zombie chasing the kids was pretty neat especially since there was a point to having his lips sewn tight. Nice little twist towards the end when he gets the knife. Certainly recommend but not really one of my favorites like Monster Squad.
   

10. Nosferatu -

    

     This was a first time viewing, thanks to a friends help getting access to Amazon Prime. Really interesting take on the reasoning for the victims being a part of a infectious pandemic, probably stemming from the Spanish Flu they were just dealing with. Some of course, momentous visuals that many following horror movies stemmed their ideas from. Love how they went all out for the Dracula design while the characters treat him as if he's the romantic suave Dracula, we see in future films like Bela Legosi's portrayal of Dracula.  This is a must watch! May be best to watch with others as a silent viewing demands special focus.
    

11. 9 -  

    
    

    9 wasn't bad but I didn't get the point of the story. The means the characters were taken was scarier than most horror movies although I wouldn't label this as a horror film. Enoyed the style and the art but once enough of that is admired, I figured I'm not that invested in the story to keep invested.  Not sure kids would take it well if it was supposed to be a kids movie. Wouldn't recommend but still a perfect viewing for my 31 spooky movies for Halloween.

    
    

12. 30 days of night - Perfect timing especially with the snow coming while I was watching the movie. Does anyone remember Josh Hartnet being a thing? He wasn't bad. Not sure why he faded away. The vampires were great in this. Almost coming off as black and white due to their pale skin with the blood contrast. Story wasn't amazing but I definitely enjoy the concept of these monsters biding their time for a town's timing of pure darkness, which they're quite used to. I was fond of the commodity in the town and how the characters had a strong contrast when the s hit the fan. Certainly recommend. Also I want to point out that I always think of the band Bleeding Through since their album The Truth looks just like 30 Days of Night Poster.

    

    
    

13. Prodigy 2018 - eh. Crazy girl with super powers on low budget. Nothing really happened in the movie. The movie literally all takes place in one room. I don't mind subtle movies but this only had one thing to reveal and it was that the ginger girl loved her mom. Whoopideedo! Boring with okay actors; they were trying their best...maybe.

14. Brooklyn vs Vampires - Basically if stranger things took place in NY.  Not as sterotypical or schlocky as I was thinking with a vs title. Really not the best movie but harmless and fun nonetheless. Appreciated the themes of activism the movie was trying to push without but being forceful.  Not sure if I'd recommend it one really wouldn't regret this flick if they clicked play on Netflix.
    

15. Face Your Fear - An anthology of shorts on Amazon Prime. Half of them were worth watching. I really liked the middle two 'Aftermath'(a dystopian story dealing with trust) and 'The Last time I saw Richard'(a flick handling the matters of mental disability).  Remember it being about an hour so I would certainly advocate my reader to check this out. Not sure it fit as part of my spooky film series but still worth a watch anyways. 

16. The Shed - An awkward vampire flick, where 30 year olds portrayed high schoolers throwback; somewhat. Not sure I'll watch again; super shlocky and silly but not in an entertaining way.  Called most plot point as it's taking from most high schoolers finding a monster movie.

17. Hell House LLC - Fantastic premise, was super invested in the movie; silly ending though.

18. Aterrados/Terrified - Love the creature designs, the characters were all nonsensical though.

19. Nightmare before Christmas - Simply a classic; Boogy Woogy man is fantastic.

20. Poltergeist - Another classic; forgot about the tree almost eating the boy; maybe I blocked it because it was messed up. Casting coach as the dad is so perfect. Not quite a badass but manly enough to stand up for his family when need to against the ghost. There's rumors that this flick was Tobe Hooper's in name only. I could definitely see were Hooper may have had his influence like the clown or the crazy but it wouldn't surprise me if Spielberg had more control with how the family characters are written and how they worked together to defeat the ghost. Actually a scene most horror movies can learn from is when the family is all crashing downstairs and the mom & Doctor have a moment to connect. It's really simple but in the same notes let's the audience know these characters are simple human beings and what's at stake. It's impressive how the most standout character of Tangina is in it for such a short time. Quite a performance Zelda Rubinstein puts on as you can't if she's their savior or the family downfall. Even after they leave, one can't be sure if set the family up or not.
    

21. Bye Bye Man - Visuals are okay, nice to see the gal, who played Trinity. Just not a fan of movies where nothing makes a difference as far as what the characters do about the haunting. Lot of laughable moments but still not as funny as Alien Covenant. Literally the rules are flat out explained to the characters and they infuriatingly ignore them every chance they get. Audience is practically rooting for their death by the time they get to the end.
    

22. Mayhem - Great concept; especially fun to watch during a pandemic. Have actually been admiring Steven Yeun's work post Walking Dead. No innocents here, which makes Steven's character even more relatable as we all want to go after our boss when we know for sure there's a conspiracy to ruin our career; despite the lack of proof.  Fun revenge on boss fantasy with a great violent twist. Most definitely recommend.  
    

23. Basket Case – I feel like there were restraints on the filmakers such as budget but these guys put care in the film. The actors were performers and wouldn't surprise me if they were from the theater. The special effects weren't immaculate but they definitely get the job done. Not a perfect movie but good to watch in a group setting maybe for some spoon tossing at the corniness.
    

24. The Lodge - From the same filmmakers as the Goodnight Mommy, comes this psychological thriller. Probably my favorite of the newer viewing for my 31 spooky movies for Halloween. There were a couple quips about realism but I was invested in the psychological downfall of those trapped in the Lodge. The filmmaker definitely has mother issues, which works into the film. Reminded me of lighthouse a bit due to the isolation plot. Would recommend if you have a good suspension of disbelief.

25. See No Evil -  

    
    

    Pretty garbage flick that essentially is ripping off the Friday the 13th background with a little bit of TCM tossed in there. Glen Jacobs makes a great monster naturally with his size and scary demeanor.  A huge issue is they give him the most basic wardrobe; nothing compared to those that he's in competition with as far as other slashers go. Although the fact, he takes the eyes from his victims is very unique and memorable. He may have been able to do something more with the eyes than just toss them in jars but aw well. I just hated the color scheme of this movie; where everything had some shade of potato sack brown. The gore can't even pop. What's the point of having a slasher movie then? I mostly just like seeing Kane in action. The victims were annoying but I guess that's the point, so the kills are more satisfying. Certainly worth watching for my 31 spooky films!

26. See No Evil 2 - I mean the color scheme was better. The blood and gore certainly stood out amongst the background. Wish Kane didn't have to put on a mask. He looked more memorable with the hole in his face but the crew might not have had the budget to keep it the whole movie. Sad he didn't keep taking eyes. That was my favorite part of the mythos. Just thought I might as well watch it since I saw the first one.

     The way they defeated Jacob Goodnight is much more satisfying in the 1st one. Also, the whole empty morgue deal didn't make sense. At least there can be an explanation for Kane & his mom creating a deadzone at the hotel. At the morgue it makes no sense besides the paranormal entities working to bring Goodnight alive also kept his victims trapped. If you don't mind the first one might as well watch this one. I at least liked this sequel more than the Hostel sequel.
    

27. Mandy - Man, so tough to fully comprehend at all times what's happening in this film. Think that's a good thing. For me disorientation in movies can be super frustrating or super refreshing. Here I find it refreshing but I'm still not sure. Who was the fat guy that got pulled away when the freaks break into Cage's & Mandy's home? Love the whole initiation of this film is the psycho just seeing Mandy walking home. So nuts but I guess that's the idea that this cult leader gets what he wants at the smallest indication.

     Just a hay fever when Mandy and Jeremiah's face becomes one. I feel like I could separate them easily beforehand but wasn't quite sure when it was happening. Also, when I heard Jeremiah's song, I found it so pretty and mesmerizing. I swear it was a real song beforehand. Still find it absolutely nuts how invested this nut is at a slight sighting. So funny how he becomes offended at Mandy's livelihood when she rejects him immediately at the mere sight of him.  Not quite the reciprocation, he was hoping for. The film emulates pure madness but also having seen so many others thrive on impulse alone, not the most shocking. 

    The 80s wallpaper(not sure the point but screams isolation, loneliness and desolation), the extreme amount of vodka, the tiger shirt(which I want) share so much rage and pain when Cage is originally crashing. All the vicious kills are so ludicrous, heinous and disturbing that Cage is delving out but feels so justified for how they did Mandy. 

    Not sure what to make of the ending of Mandy. I like the idea of the story taking place in another world but not sure what difference it makes as everything for the most part could've easily took place on earth. I don't mind something fresh to think about though.

28. Summer of 84 - 

    
    

     Um, I thought this was a different movie, where the 4 friends are murdering each other. Definitely not that though. Not far into it, it's clear it's more akin to Disturbia/Clovehitch Killer type movie. Enjoying the movie so far. It's made well with likeable characters. I get that it's supposed to be a throwback, hence the name but it does not really stand out from the typical over their head teenager trying to find a killer movie. What stinks about these movies is it very likely has to be the individual, the teens are chasing the whole movie. That's who the whole story is built up for. Could be a random Joe Blow but it would be out of nowhere. Still could be fun movie but usually nothing more than background noise as far as plot goes.

     Not sure how I feel about the ending of Summer of 84. It's different but not quite satisfying. The idea of fear does sink in of not know the future but stinks it's not conclusive. Wonder if they can or should do a sequel. A big plus is they actually got teenagers to play teenagers unlike the Shed. Not really one I'd recommend but one wouldn't regret it clicking play if they come across it.
    

29. Shining - Definitely a classic. When I first watched I didn't enjoy so much since Jack seemed to turn so quickly without much of a transition but the more I watch it, the more I appreciate jt from filmaking techniques to the madness that ensure as things fall apart. Always loved Jack Nicholson's performance though. In hindsight, Dick should've definitely brought in the sheriffs when he went to the resort. I mean it wasn't just a hunch but the sheriffs lost contact with the hotel when Jack cutoff the radio so it would've been seen as a better safe than sorry scenario. Cool that they setup how well Danny knew the maze to trap his dad in towards the end. Clever

30. Doctor Sleep - Surprisingly liked this movie more than I thought when I first saw it. It's no Shining but it certainly had me hooked when it did it's own thing. Of course it has to reference the Shining but the member berries got overwhelming toward the end. Also, seemed dumb Danny didn't have a better plan than return to the hotel. I mean Danny took almost all of Rose's friends by herself. Of course the unwieldy ghost would go after him. Guess he's lucky they attacked Rose first.

31. Better Watch Out - A surprising flick I haven't heard of. Not sure to call it cheeky or black comedy but to best describe it's a home invasion movie that isn't typical. Should've watched something classical for my final flick but this will leave a lasting impact.