Pinkie Pie

I don't know how to describe my thoughts and feelings in regards to Lavender, fresh after watching it. Except for the fact that I completely disagree with the bad ratings by critics and audiences alike! I went into this film expecting the genre to be drama/psychological thriller, not horror. Yet it's still not a horror in the classical sense, albeit it has it's ghosts. Both mental and spectral. It had the typical horror tropes of corn fields, haunted farmhouses, mazes, giggling children disappearing around corners, muted colour schemes, an uncanny score, yet all presented in a new light, literally (as most the "scares" and haunts were done during daylight). The filmography was beautifully eerie and I particularly enjoyed the wide angle 3D still shots at the beginning and end, that brought it full circle and to it's conclusion. I think the acting was good, yet it was hard to really get a feel for the characters; they were as hard to grasp as the incorporeal spirits haunting the house and Jane's visions, yet the main actors were charming enough that I was on the edge of my seat, so to speak, following their every movement and wanting to find out what happened next. Many felt the ending to be predictable but I didn't. Perhaps I was so entranced by Jane's present and past that I couldn't look to the future. And that's exactly what the movie was about... the ghosts of memories and past trauma; how we deal with them, how we internalize our sorrows. If you enjoyed the mind bending twists and atmosphere of The Twin (2022), starring Teresa Palmer, you'll enjoy this. Neither are frightfully scary, they won't have you jumping up from your seat, but they're chilling and mysterious in their own right. Both deal with psychological trauma and are intelligent enough to keep you entertained (well, some of us). P.S. I'd give Lavender a 2 1/2 if I could but it sorely needs better reviews, so a 3 it is. Keep in mind that movies rarely get 4 or 5 stars from me; it has to be pretty darn good but I'm feeling generous.

Black Butterfly was very predictable... to an extent. SPOILER I guessed the first plot twist within 20 minutes... ...the down on his luck, alcoholic screenwriter, Paul, was the serial killer and the hot tempered transient, Jack, the detective. Didn't see that last twist coming though, yet it still felt like a bit of a cop out. It's saving grace was Antonio Banderas' acting; always a presence on screen, despite being given no profound or amazing lines in Black Butterfly. However, I found Jonathon Rhys Meyer's character to be over the top and too obvious, with no fault to the actor himself. I thought the scenario was slightly unbelievable as well; Perhaps our protagonist's mind was so befuddled from alcohol that he couldn't perceive what a shady hitchhiker Jack was, but to me it was obvious. This wouldn't have worked for the plot of course, but it's what I'd expect from a realistic standpoint. Even with a great concept the movie still fell flat. I feel like giving it 2 stars but I'll give it 3 because it was just entertaining enough to hold my attention; similar to a book that isn't captivating you, yet you keep turning the pages to find out what happens next.