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Film reviews

Evil Dead Burn Review

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There is definitely a lot of evil that burns in Evil Dead Burn with the thought of wrongdoings coming across in many bold ways. This time it follows a death. Directed by Sebastien Vanicek, he takes the direction of loss leading to vengeance. Its portrait is gruesome, and the rest of the film is full of gore which is seemingly central to its continuity. At the same time though, there is the question that had me thinking of how much pain and suffering is really necessary– to the point where even utensils can have injuries?  This one is a rollercoaster that explodes withall types of fire-like moments of surprises. It is a sequel to the 2013 version of Evil Dead and the 2023 version of Evil Dead Rise. The sixth installment in the film series.

 

The film surrounds a woman named Alice, played by Souheila Yacoub. She is trying to cope with the loss of her husband and apast of bad relationship tensions as she struggles to remain close to his family. After his death, she finds herself in the same home with her husband William’s family.  William is played by George Puller. Once she is with his family all kinds of terrors are born. Her brother-in-law, Joseph, is played by Hunter Doohan and her mother-in-law, Susan, is played by Tandi Wright. Alice is close with Joseph but struggles to get along with Susan. Once they are all together, they begin to possess terrors. They are formed into zombie-like killers. Dark tones of violence screech throughout Evil Dead Burn. It is a cynical death trap of a family reunion.

 

This film had me shocked and awed frequently. The fact that there is “bad blood” creates a more immersive experience. I felt scared throughout, often thinking, “Whoa…that is messed up!”  Thoughts raced in my head especially during moments when evil that has been lurking takes over much of the family.  It then becomes a bloodbath of chainsaws, writing utensils, etc.—anything that is sharp carries a vengeance. There is a lot of “burning” in Evil Dead Burns.

 

Everyone has a mode to kill. The writing is filled with hatred and regret combined with a blend of tragedy mixed with vengeance to deliver brutal revenge.  It gets quite graphic. Overall, some moments go above and beyond, crossing thresholds into insanity. That is ironically the beauty of Evil Dead Burn in that there are no boundaries to the level of gore that goes with this one. Brutal, with countless modes of intensity—it is a lot to handle.

 

A violent, yet poetic tale in the sense of emotion that it can illicit, however, it is not great. It falls just above average. The film has a clever premise with a lot of creativity portrayed through the violence and fighting moments. The hatred lingers for one selling ride, but is there redemption in any of it? How do the possessive modes continue to thrive? How much hate can possibly come and go? There is no stopping any of it in this film’s track of brutality, and it is the invincible nature of the evil that continues to produce fulfilling entertainment for those that can handle it. Three out of four stars.

 

Film reviews

Moana Review

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I enjoyed both animated versions of Moana (2016) and Moana II (2024). Unfortunately, this live version was just average. There was plenty of positivity surrounding the many wonders of the sea and the Hawaiian setting as well as lots of music, laughs, and adventures. It is not terrible, but cheesy enough to shred. The magical charms are good in parts, but the storyline goes off in too many imaginary directions. Directed by Thomas Kail, this is Moana. The voyager vibes are joyful, and so are the characters, but it wasn’t enough to make this film soar. 

For Disney, however, it is what I expected. The movie has over-the-top moments to inspire viewers of all ages. The music and the songs are top-notch. Most of the film’s glory comes from the vocal performance of Catherine Laga’ala in her role as Moana. Thanks to the music, the storyline about fulfilling one’s destiny by overcoming hurdles is fun.  Dwayne Johnson plays Maui, and also did the voice of this character in the animated versions. When Johnson is in the picture, there are bound to be moments of quirky, yet satirical humor. He displays that bad yet sappy attitude as one of the main characters. 

Moana dreams of fulfilling her family legacy by saving her island and making it return to its voyager setting. However, this requires her to go to the sea and find Maui. The dynamics between Laga’ala and Johnson is where this film shines. Behind them are CGI-generated sea monsters. The village where Moana comes from lacks the resources, and she is on a mission to change that. The film feels like an oceanography journey with lighting that highlights the beauty of the water.  Sadly, much of the film struggled to sell me. The film needed more magical components. I respect Disney’s style of movie-making, but I would have rather had more layers of seriousness and suspense in addition to more conflict added to the fantasy.

I did enjoy the film credits with their wonderful quotes. One quote, “Restore the heart,” means there is happiness that comes with growth. Another quote that speaks to me is, “No one goes beyond the reef,” which means that breaking the rules comes with some entertainment. Moana  “goes beyond the reef,” but her adventures just felt mediocre.

In the end, the movie was joyful and nice for families. I just wish that the magic in the waters and the writing had a few more components to make the final cut stronger. I give this version of Moana two-and-a-half out of four stars.

Film reviews

Young Washington Review

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I am grateful that I had the opportunity to see the many first glimpses of Young Washington at CinemaCon back in April.Also, I was able to hear a few words from the lead William Franklyn-Miller—his performance in Young Washington soars with wonders. I had a feeling I was going to be sold on the full version of Young Washington, and I definitely was. This story of a rising leader presents many historic aspects. Simply spellbinding is how I define Young Washington.

 

The film is solid as it begins with George Washington and his journey taking on responsibilities of the many territories surrounding the different colonies. With much political sophistication, there is also a sense of surreal wonders. His mother, Mary Washington, is played by Mary-Louise Parker. The life of George is one that is unsettling, but redemption abounds. The era of the mid and late 1700s plays out in politics and the landscape of George’s growth.

 

Although the film lacks in some of its historic value, there is resilience and spectacle in the acting and the cinematography. Also, the dynamics of history and leadership are well played. The battles for the lands and the colonies are where Franklyn-Miller possesses the perfect attitude to play George Washington. As the film progresses, he speaks with Lord Fairfax, played byKelsey Grammer, as he owns much of the land. George finds inspiration from his half-brother Lawrence Washington, played by John Foss. Authority though, is where George struggles. He seeks to change the world, but he must fight hard for that leadership role.

 

The characterization around authority and equality all rumble in Young Washington. I found great inspiration, especially with the background story of Washington himself. His sidekick is Christopher Gist (Leo Hanna), and George takes many of his orders from Robert Dinwiddie (Ben Kingsley). Once George is on the frontlines in war, the film becomes a power boxing match between George and Robert, showing that political order may not always be the answer. With George viewed as the rookie, the film resorts to presenting his hero side much more.

 

The storyline and the performance of Franklyn-Miller compelled me, but my issue was that so much of the authority and leadership over George took over much of the writing. It focused a lot on making him look like he was someone who would never advance. Overall, the history of it all has blurred moments, but at the same time, spectacle exists with Young Washington.

 

The concept of values and the action of warfare make Young Washington appealing. There is a sense that it can find its following and find a way to be entertaining on the big screen. History with added warfare and early stages of one rising had me sold the most. This was not totally my favorite, but just above par. It is one of those films where my star rating falls at-two-and-a-half out of four stars.