Finally made time to run through this short series, & it was well worth the effort. The entire thing is very impressive visually, the story is well told, the music throughout suits it all wonderfully, & the cast excels. Anya Taylor-Joy commands every frame, & it's a treat watching her dominate her chess opponents. I appreciated the themes that ran throughout too, & even though I've never learned to play chess I thought they did a sufficient job of getting the game across for those of us who aren't as familiar. The humor & emotional throughline help. Overall, it's pretty great & I'm glad I finally watched it.
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The Babysitter 2017
Unsure how I missed before that Brian Duffield wrote this, but now that I know it's not surprising I enjoy it so much. Still not great, but it's a fun time thanks to a winning combination of horror & humor, as well as a solid cast. A few aspects could've been better handled, but the quick pace keeps it moving along well enough I hardly mind. My daughter & I enjoyed watching it together.
As I told her after it ended: avoid the sequel at all costs.
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Thanksgiving 2023
I'm so used to self-aware/meta slashers now that seeing one function without those trappings feels refreshing, & that makes Eli Roth's Thanksgiving worth celebrating. It's running on genuine mystery & suspense, & full of practical effects, thus functioning like an old school slasher. It also manages to feel current by using modern technology & commenting on consumerism/capitalism in a way that's relevant. The cast is solid all around, & I love that it's not entirely beholden to the fake trailer that spawned it while also…
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Guillermo del Toro's Pinocchio 2022
Pretty much what you'd expect from Del Toro. The animation is great & I really loved the design of the supernatural characters. The cast performs well & it's solidly entertaining. Could've done without the musical numbers, but at least there's only a few. It never connected with me very deeply on an emotional level, unsure if that's due to the storytelling or just my mood. Might watch it again in several years to confirm. Worth a look though & glad we've got an alternative to Disney's.
