Logan Smith

Here is the thing: on paper, the movie isn't really a bad idea of a concept. A courtroom drama that incorporates musical. I defended the idea before the movie came out (besides, it sort of felt like everyone forgot that iconic moment from The Killing Joke both book and movie; which Hamill of course crushed it in). But even in the end...for me it wasn't even the musical that was the worst part. It's simply how boring and unnecessary this movie's existence is. So pretty much, this movie starts off 2 years later after what went down in the first. Arthur (Joaquin Phoenix) is locked away in Arkham. Life is hell. Then Lee/Harley (Lady Gaga) runs into him. They both do chaotic stuff and sing a song about every 10 minutes after they meet. That's it. Yep. Really that is all there is to it until the court proceedings begin in determining whether Arthur just stays at the mental ward or gets the death penalty. Both Gaga and Phoenix have great performances here. But that's really all there is. Because aside from a good scene here or there...it is about as boring as it sounds. Even the courtroom scenes really are just recaps of the first film. There's no solid writing structure here. Nothing to keep me invested. And heck...I don't even really considering anything I say here spolierific except for that ending which will rile you up if you were a fan of the first like I am. Not even the musical numbers were all that memorable. And I wanted them to be...because I didn't even hate the idea to begin with. If the movie actually focused spending more time on developing character arcs and decent storytelling; this could've been big! But instead...it feels like it just spends more time recapping first movie events before trying to erase it's existence and wrap it up. And for me...that is a no go! Save your money. Don't even like rent it or anything. Wait for it to come to Max.

I really tried to give this one a chance. I did. I really like the original movie. I haven't seen the sequels; so I can't speak there if any of those are better than this. But what I *can* say is that this might've been one of the most unnecessary remakes I have ever watched. Visual wise, I'll give them credit. Some scenes look good. Dark and dreary. As it should be for a movie like this. Lots of the movie seems to be during the night time with maybe only a few daytime sequences here and there. The action is decent for some scenes with the gore cranked up a notch for sure. Bill Skarsgard puts on a decent performance as Eric. It's not as captivating as Brandon Lee's will ever be, but it's not unwatchable. He does fine for what he is given here. But that's really all I've got for positives. The rest of this movie feels slow, boring, and monotonous. The chemistry between Eric and Shelly in this one is non-existent compared to the original. Ironic because you maybe get 5 minutes of screen time in the original, and you feel for them more than you do in this one. I wouldn't even really call this relationship love in the 2024 version. The movie thinks so apparently. But really it was more like one hookup between the two for a couple of days. HOW THE HELL does that count as love? All the screentime spent with them and it feels like you barely know them. Hell, it seems like they barely know each other here, but apparently it is "true love." Even if you took a look at this movie from an unbiased lens without comparing it to the original; there still isn't really anything that grabs your attention. At least for me it didn't. Even the villain played by Danny Huston felt like the most boring, yet also stupidest. Seriously...some of these character decisions make absolutely no sense from him or Shelly's character. In fact, they're pretty freaking stupid! And plot holes galore too. Overall, save your time and money. Believe me, there was a reason this only took 3 weeks to come to VOD. Skip this and watch the original.

Twisters to me might just be the surprise hit of the year. I went in to this movie with medium expectations; not setting the bar too high in terms of quality that I was gonna get after walking out of the theater when I was done. And while it still doesn't beat the original, there is still fun to be had here in this one. Especially after a harrowing first 10-15 minutes as our main lead Kate (Daisy Edgar Jones) goes through something quite traumatic. Both her and Glen Powell are the powerhouse stars here. They both do an amazing job for what they get here. But so does Anthony Ramos as Javi. And by the end; it's a satisfying conclusion for where all the characters take their direction. The tornadoes, while not perfect, look great visually and CGI wise. And the action does get intense in some moments (one scene at a Rodeo was 100% a nod to the original). I can definitely see myself rewatching this one once it's out on streaming. 8/10.

A very slow burn, but fun time at the movies. I wouldn't say it's as barf inducing as Terrifier 2 (unlike what some people may have been telling you online), but there is very visceral and brutal kills for sure. This movie has that one iconic kill that everyone will talk about for years that did not disappoint when it came up on screen that is both very brutal but also creative. It's an interesting concept to explore a slasher movie from the killer's POV with just all the ambient sounds of the forest with no music (seriously, there is no music until the VERY end at the credits). Which is why when we switch away from his POV, it's sort of jarring and the weak moments of the movie. Not to mention when I did say at the beginning it is very slow burn; I meant it. And as much fun as I did have, there are some moments that I'll admit we're a little boring. Some people might check out early because of that. But for what was on display here, it was a fun time; and one I might rewatch once out on a streaming service or something.