Well, this was a pleasant surprise. It has its plot holes but gets big points for originality (we don’t need another haunted house movie) with a relentless, homicidal, supernatural stalker passed on like an STD. The film doesn’t explain what it is, how it came to be, what’s its agenda. It simply is what it is and does what it does. The working class suburban setting and the real-looking teens lend the film a gritty feel. The camera work, the low budget, and the minimalist score give it a real =Halloween= vibe.  The moral dilemma presented to the characters and the audience places this a cut above the pack,

FF=1

Will Smith has matured into this sort of role, where he’s the teacher rather than the student.  He’s smooth, the cast is excellent (Margot Robbie is new to me but she’s easy on the eyes) and the script has some interesting scams. I didn’t feel any real chemistry between Smith and Robbie that’s no biggee.  Hardly a riveting film but I was engaged and entertained (although the end was hard to buy). A lightweight diversion.  Some days that’s all you need.

FF=1

This is a tough one.  I expected to hate it, but because of the Wachowskis’ involvement, I gave it a go. It’s bad, old-fashioned space opera from the Planet Stories days, but not as awful as you’d expect from the reviews. The visuals are super, the story is preposterous, the actors do what they can with the roles (except for Eddie Redmayne who is consistently terrible).  I love astronomical eye candy, so I guess I’m a sucker for these visuals.  You def need to check your brain at the door, but if you’re throwing a party, you could put this on your big screen with the sound off and you’d have cool wallpaper.

FF=3

Sure it’s got Jeff Bridges and Julianne Moore, but you know this by-the-numbers Joseph Campbell template by heart.  It’s been done and done a lot better.  (Hint: the boy is Luke, Bridges is Obi Wan, the black witch is Vader.) Not worth the 100 minutes.

FF=3