Scary Stories (from a Dark Allie)

Okay, I’m glad June pulled itself together for the last week or so (and I guess the first week was pretty good too, so I really just picked a bunch of duds for the middle of the month?).

Okay, this is a longer movie that feels long, and definitely has its parts that drag on…but Elisabeth Moss is just SO GOOD that it’s hard to give this one anything under four stars. Plus it was directed by Leigh Whannell of Insidious and Saw fame!

It’s probably no surprise that I like this one better than the original. I mean, it was directed (and written) by the Soska sisters, of American Mary fame, and it’s no secret how much I love that movie. And while this movie does NOT have Katharine Isabelle, it has Laura Vandervoort, whom I’ve already mentioned at least once this year. And Stephen McHattie!

I actually saw the 2019 remake of this movie (which I’ll be watching tomorrow) before ever seeing this one, and honestly…it’s weirder. Which I think is interesting! The remake somehow out-weirds David Cronenberg!

I know I’ve already made this clear, but again, obviously I don’t hate ALL movies that are over two hours. I liked this one! It wasn’t perfect, but it was mostly well-paced, and when a movie doesn’t FEEL like it drags on, it can keep going, I’m on board.

Ugh, really, this is just a mostly bad month for me. You would think it would be easier to get through a movie that’s less than an hour and a half long, and yet…

This movie had some interesting bits to it, and I thought the performances were great, but it was a bit too slow for me overall.

This has been a bit of a long week for me, so this will be another I don’t have much to say about. BUT I did like it.

First, content and mild spoiler warning for early talk of suicide and some pretty gory imagery, especially for dog lovers.

Okay, so, apologies, this is another primarily nostalgia-driven rating. Why? Because I love Katharine Isabelle SO MUCH, and the scene where…well, where Ginger snaps, is so good.

Ok, I’m more torn on this movie than I have been in a while. But here’s the thing…it’s over two hours with just the theatrical cut, and even longer than It: Chapter Two with the director’s cut, and I’ve STILL watched it, by choice, at least three times.

(Sorry, lots of spoilers, and brief mention of sexual assault) If you’ve ever wanted to see Leslie Nielsen wrestle a bear, this is the movie for you! This is like the American version of Long Weekend, basically. Though I guess this one came first.

This is a weird little movie, and I know that’s not the first time I’ve said that this year. It was okay? It’s not too long but it’s pretty slow, especially at the beginning.

So, this one I definitely remember reading. I think I may have even read this before the movie came out, but after the movie was announced? Either way, I’m pretty sure it was my first Josh Malerman book, and since then I’ve ready Malorie (the sequel to Bird Box), Daphne, Black Mad Wheel, Inspection, Pearl, and Goblin, so I guess you could say I liked his writing!