Watched 27 Feb 2026

Watched this in part because it's by the Tucker & Dale Vs. Evil filmmakers & I really like that movie. Probably shouldn't have gone in with that mindset. This also has campy elements and fun twists on rural southern character writing, but it frequently falls in the trap of becoming the thing it's supposed to be satirizing. I loved some parts of it and tolerated others. No problem with the on-the-nose messaging for me as with some critics, but the epilogue did feel obligatory, forced & pointless.

Watched 27 Feb 2026

Definitely messier than the first, not just in terms of plotting but also in terms of moral clarity. Subplots don't always resolve. I miss the original score. It's also somehow less subtle than its predecessor, but despite big-laugh moments, the jabs weren't as precise. But! It still gets its punches in, I get some real stop-motion glory, and the action is no doubt bigger this time around. Lots of fun by the end, if only for the spectacle of everything it throws at the screen.

Watched 15 Feb 2026

Essential viewing for informed Oklahomans, as this is based on not just a true story, but our reckoning as a state run by energy interests. Even as it is decades-old, the fact that certain local interests still don't want you to see this film full of legendary talent (Meryl Streep, Mike Nichols, Nora Ephron, Cher, Kurt Russell) should say everything. Part character drama, part political thriller, it shows what happens when nuclear energy and capitalism reach their inevitable, corrupt conclusion.

Watched 15 Feb 2026

In desperate need of an editor and a more experienced lead actor, Iron Lung is nonetheless the little indie that could. The final act earns its R rating & bumps the score up 0.5 stars for me. It's worth the slog if Lovecraftian psychological horror is your bag. Having not played the game, though, I suspect that is the superior experience. I don't think any YouTuber film has made the grade since Skinamarink, but this commendable effort comes close & proves you can make it outside of the industry.

Watched 05 Feb 2026

I have complaints -- manipulative red herrings, a duplicitous walking "monster" metaphor, a gradual imbalance of unlikely plot turns and the gritty, realistic portrayals thereof -- but they are far outweighed by what I get from Eric. The period building, evergreen topicality, acting, and, yeah, even the puppeteering hit home for me, as did the daring bait-and-switch of its colorful, ironic concept into a stark, humorless nightmare. I guess that's just me. Some call it a slog, but I loved it.