5's 2022 film & series short reviews

Scream 5

I am referring to this as "Scream 5," despite it being released as just "Scream."
There was already a movie in this series called "Scream," and this is not a remake.
And yes, this film openly lampshades the concept of legacy sequels. Scream 4 was not that long ago, so I don't even think of this as a legacy sequel.
Anyway, while I still think it should have been left as a trilogy, slashers have a way of coming back again and again. Like 4, I didn't hate it. It was fun to play "guess the killer/s," just like in all the others.
This just didn't have much else to offer, except for more meta-humor. I also would only recommend this if you have seen all the others, since it relies on back references that might be lost if this is the first Scream movie you watch. Which is also why I'm referring to this as 5.
If you are a fan of the series, definitely give it a spin. I don't think it's bad, it's just the franchise has seen better, imho.
6/10

Morbius

Well, this is conflicting.
One one side there is the whole "what the hell are you even doing, Sony??!!" aspect. And I say that as someone who loves the Venom movies unironically.
There is also so much wtf-ery, but the thing is, the ridiculousness in this did not bother me, like the ridiculousness in WW84 did. It's not beautiful cheese, such as Ghost Rider, but I wouldn't call it totally awful either.
Though, hear me out, as a B vampire movie, it's kinda fun.
5.5/10, but watch, it will probably grow on me even more

Antlers

A teacher's concern for a young student's well-being, leads to being engulfed in an ancient supernatural terror.
Another difficult one to rate.
Loved the tone and the way the film was shot. However I'm not sure what the reason was for the changes in the entity from the original short story to the film. The basic plot is there, but the creature has a much different origin. And while I loved the final monster design itself, it bears no resemblance to the actual legend it is based on. Then again, this happens time and time again with fiction vs folklore, and I should be used to it at this point. I don't want to give anything away, but it might be best to think of it as it's own thing.
Loved the direction, cinematography, and creature effects, lacks the creep factor of the original story, imho.
6.5/10

2 documentaries about two different artists



George Carlin's American Dream is a very long look at the life of the comedian. A well rounded look at his career, and the influences he had on other comedians. 9/10



David Lynch: The Art Life is more like an extended interview with Lynch himself. Most of it is him going over his years of being a painter, and ends with Eraserhead. Very nice, but would like to see a part two, since it ends abruptly at that point. 8/10

The Northman
Robert Eggers hits it out of the park yet again, now 3 for 3. It is a Hamlet-esque story (actually based on the story that was the inspiration for Hamlet) mixed with Norse legend and myth. If you like brutal, bloody, historical dramas with a touch of magic, give this a shot. 8.5/10

Brigsby Bear

I think it's best to go into this blind, if you can, but I will say a few things.
Like with the movie "Frank," I thought I was going to be watching an absurdist comedy for some reason, but ended up with a touching drama.  They also both involve giant head masks.
There are also some kinda sorta "Napoleon Dynamite" vibes, but more...grounded?
Anyway, it's cute and I'd like to see Kyle Mooney do more stuff, both acting and writing. 7/10

Wolf

Just as I expected, this is a difficult one to write about. Some people might view it as an inversion of "The Lobster," and might make a good pairing with that.
For others, this depicts a hellish, nightmare conversion "therapy" scenario for animal-folk. It also features the most despicable antagonist I have seen in film in some time. That may be in part because he echoes real people I have known and experiences with them. There are aspects of this that are difficult to view objectively,  even though my own experiences may not 100% line up with the protagonists'. (I could be wrong, but from what I read no actual animal-folk/speciesqueer individuals were involved in the film)
Even though the scenario/plot made me feel uncomfortable, I do like the film's ultimate message of being true to yourself, no matter the cost.
8/10

Jurassic World: Dominion

Screw the haters! This is big, loud fun, and I am here for it! Following Jurassic World: Fallen Kingdom, the dinosaurs roam the earth yet again. Also Lewis Dodgson of Biosyn from the first Jurassic Park is back  and probably up to no good. It's a fun, enjoyable action flick with plenty of creatures to awe over. Yes, it gets kinda ridiculous, but that is part of the charm for me.
7.5/10

The House That Jack Built

A serial killer recounts his crimes to a mysterious individual.
While this is most certainly not for everyone, if you do decide to give it a watch, make sure you make it to the very end. I found the ending to be very rewarding (as someone who had a weird obsession with The Divine Comedy in my college days...)
7.5/10

Raw
A rather "biting" tale of the ups and downs of sibling relationships. A girl goes to the same veterinary school as her older sister, and develops some interesting cravings after a hazing ritual. Might make a good pairing with Ginger Snaps, as they both deal with sisterhood and body changes.
6.5/10

Two documentaries that bring up an (in)famous frog character, that is not Kermit.



You Can't Kill Meme

Even though there is a bit about internet memes (including Pepe), this doc is primarily about chaos magick in the internet age, and other forms of modern day magick found on the web such as lightworkers and TikTok witches. An ok primer for the uninitiated, and a little rough around the edges. I can forgive the lowbudget, DIY feel and I didn't personally learn anything new from this, but the subjects fascinate me.
5.5/10


Feels Good Man

Ok, now this documentary is fantastic! Shows the innocent beginnings of the character through Matt Furie's comic "Boy's Club," to becoming a meme, to becoming used for nefarious purposes such as a hate symbol and possibly a hypersigil, to his eventual "death," resurrection, transformation, and reclamation. Wow, ok that's a lot for a little green doodle. How it is presented in this film is very, very fascinating.
Shows how artists creations can sometimes take on a strange life of their own.
8.5/10

Obi-Wan Kenobi

In between film Episodes 3 and 4, Obi-Wan must face off again against his former Padawan, Anakin, who is now the Sith Lord Darth Vader. Even though if you are familiar with Star Wars and know the characters' eventual fates, this still manages to be plenty exciting.
8.5/10

Picard (season 1)
A nice, refreshing return (for me at least, haven't seen Discovery yet), to the main Star Trek timeline. I'm so glad I avoided all spoilers, so I'm going to be vague, it was fun watching it unfold as the season progressed
 A mysterious visitor comes to Jean-Luc Picard after the aftermath of "Nemesis," and soon he assembles a new crew for an intriguing mission, and some old friends are visited a long the way.
8/10



Picard, season 2
I enjoyed the first one a bit better, but this isn't bad either, if you don't mind time travel shenanigans. Also couldn't resist making "Q drop" jokes in parts.
7.5/10

Stranger Things (season 4)

This series just keeps getting better and better.
Originally I was just going to review series I either hadn't previously seen, or the whole thing altogether once I finished. This is just so good though, I think I'm breaking that restriction I set, lol.
It's the second to last season, and everything is just so amped up. We learn new things about the past, and now the stage is set for the final battle.
There is also some great music going on as well.
Hoping they stick to the landing.
9/10

Thor: Love And Thunder

This was a lot of fun! At this point I'm going to stop trying to analyze "but how does this plot detail fit in with X plot point from X MCU film/series" and just go with it. (probably will try to work it out years later lol)
I think this movie is best enjoyed by "just going with it."
Same fun, colorful, and funny vibes as Ragnarok. If you liked that, you will probably like this too.
Just like Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness was very Raimi, this was very Waititi.
Plus goats.
8.5/10