April Recap
media is my vice of choice
I have often told people that I don’t watch media. I imbibe media? I have this insatiable urge to consume media. And then a separate yet equal urge to tell people about what I consume. Many a time, people don’t want to hear my mad ramblings of what show I binged this week. But you all have chosen to read what I spew, so really this is on you.
*LOVE YOU!*
I do have the feeling that this particular recap may end up being a multi-parter. So I’ll make a post for movies, a post for TV, and possibly a third post if I get word capped on either of those.
It was a good month for movies, in as much as I watch quite a few. I found it fitting on Easter to take in a double feature of Immaculate and Late Night with the Devil. Honestly this should tell you everything you need to know about my sense of humor as I thought this action was HILARIOUS!
Immaculate (2024)
Cecilia, a woman of devout faith, is warmly welcomed to the picture-perfect Italian countryside where she is offered a new role at an illustrious convent. But it becomes clear to Cecilia that her new home harbors dark and horrifying secrets.
So this movie was kinda boring. Like the premise was intriguing, but I find all religious horror intriguing. And, frankly, it was done much better in The First Omen, but we’ll get to that. I did read that this was a total passion project for Sydney Sweeney, so I’ll at least give it that. But I spent the majority of the movie playing Pokemon Go. FYI, if you play and you visit my theater, while sitting in auditorium #5 you can reach 2 pokestops. And that is just a good way to farm items.
1.5/5 – mainly because I got SO MANY items.
Late Night with the Devil (2024)
A live television broadcast in 1977 goes horribly wrong, unleashing evil into the nation's living rooms.
This movie snuck up on me. And then almost as immediately I was informed of its AI controversy. So I had mixed feelings going in. Then after watching the 9 studio logos before the movie even started, I knew exactly what level of bad I was getting into. Yeah, it’s not good. The main talk show bits run exactly like a talk show, so, you know, it’s a tad boring. The behind the scenes give little to expand the overarching story. And the ending, while innovated, was not interesting.
1/5 – the worst sin of media is being boring.
Monkey Man (2024)
An anonymous young man unleashes a campaign of vengeance against the corrupt leaders who murdered his mother and continue to systematically victimize the poor and powerless.
This movie is not just “Indian John Wick.” First off, it takes a while for Dev to develop the skills to kick ass. He starts off as just a man with vengeance on his mind. Then he takes the time to make it seem plausible for someone to get to the kind of shape you would need to take out a building. I appreciate that.
3.5/5 – probably won’t rewatch, but still quite good.
The First Omen (2024)
A young American woman is sent to Rome to begin a life of service to the church, but encounters a darkness that causes her to question her faith and uncovers a terrifying conspiracy that hopes to bring about the birth of evil incarnate.
Little known fact, The Omen series is one of my favorite franchises. I had a box set of the first three movies (plus the TV movie fourth sequel) and I watched the heck out of them. I love a good religious horror, as I have said many times. When I heard that they were making a prequel after the much-maligned remake, I was mainly apprehensive. So I was very pleasantly surprised by this movie. I really enjoyed it. They did have to tweak some things for plot reasons, but honestly it made sense. There is an opening for potential sequels, but I hope they keep it to just this one.
4/5 – solid Omen movie.
SUGA Tour Movie (2024)
A film of the encore concert by Agust D, also known as SUGA of BTS. Tune in to relive the moments from the concert encompassing his rich musical world and performances, explosive energy, and joint performance.
I’ve seen the concert live. I went to the live performance in the theater when he had it. I watched the concert live online, twice. Of course I was going to this. Guess what? I loved it!
5/5 – will purchase a physical media copy ON SIGHT!
The Blue Hour (2015)
THE BLUE HOUR is a sexy supernatural love story about a bullied loner, Tam, who finds solace in the arms of Phum, a boy he meets at a haunted swimming pool. Phum reveals that his family's land has been stolen and the new found lovers imagine a perfect life together on the disputed land. Haunted by a ghostly presence, Tam struggles to stay connected to reality. An official selection of the Berlin International Film Festival, THE BLUE HOUR is a dark atmospheric tale of love and distress.
Re-reading the synopsis, I still can’t tell you what this movie was about. All that is correct, but I felt like I didn’t get the movie. It was rather confusing.
?/5 – maybe it needs a rewatch.
Dangerous Drugs of Sex (2020)
Katsuragi is a disillusioned office worker who drunkenly attempts to commit suicide. However, with the help of a mysterious saviour, he soon discovers there are fates even worse than death.
CONTENT WARNING!! Frank discussion of suicide, torture, and rape. I won’t fault you for zipping past this section.
Have you ever watched a movie that you thought was really good, but you could never recommend it to anyone? That is this movie. I can never tell someone to go and watch this because of the graphic torture depicted. But it did make me feel things that, honestly, most movies don’t.
That synopsis tells you nothing, so here goes. Up and coming business man, Katsuragi Makoto, suddenly loses his entire family in a car accident. This causes him to spiral exponentially leading to him wanted to jump from the nearest tall building. He is saved by Dr. Yoden, who happened to be following him after randomly running into him three times. Dr. Yoden has been going through some drama himself after his lover took his own life. The other reason Dr. Yoden was drawn to Makoto is that he looks like he could’ve been his lover’s twin. So seeing him spiral all over again would’ve killed him. But this time he could be saved.
How? By making him feel nothing but pleasure until he no longer wants to die, much to Makoto’s dismay. Because there is absolutely no consent to the events that take place in this movie, save for the last scene. Makoto is raped and torture for most of the run time of this movie, and it is graphic. From frame 1, the first time you see him, he is bound to a bed in a weird leather harness, knees practically reaching his ears.
I will save you from further details, just know that they did not hold back on the visuals. Which is why I cannot possibly recommend this movie to anyone. I cant’s even say I enjoyed it. But the way everything was told really gripped me. I could not stop watching.
In the end, the two men save each other in a way, though the path getting there was not a healthy one.
5/5 – watch at your own risk.
Chicago & Friends in Concert (2024)
Chicago plays a concert.
I love Chicago. The band, though the musical is also quite good. The city scares me. I don’t like lots of people all in the same place. But I digress.
Chicago & Friends showcased all the hits you love and some of the hits you (in this case, me) didn’t know. And they end with 25 or 6 to 4, so you have to sit through the whole show to hear the best song.
4/5 – good concert.
Abigail (2024)
After a group of criminals kidnap the ballerina daughter of a powerful underworld figure, they retreat to an isolated mansion, unaware that they're locked inside with no normal little girl.
I fully think this movie would’ve benefitted from not having the reveal that the little girl is a vampire in the trailers. They don’t acknowledge or show anything weird until the middle of the second act. So you are just sitting, watching, wondering when the vampire is gonna show up in this vampire movie. Also there is a little plot hole about vampires that really irks me, but since I’m kind of a vampire snob, it’s probably just a me thing.
2.5/5 – meh, yet extremely gory.
The Ministry of Ungentlemanly Warfare (2024)
The British military recruits a small group of highly skilled soldiers to strike against German forces behind enemy lines during World War II.
I liked this movie, but then again, I only watched it for Henry Cavill, Alan Ritchson, and Henry Golding. And in that aspect, I was not disappointed.
5/5 – fun, action romp
Boy Kills World (2023)
A fever dream action film that follows Boy, a deaf person with a vibrant imagination. When his family is murdered, he is trained by a mysterious shaman to repress his childish imagination and become an instrument of death.
I was half correct in my guessing. I knew the sister was gonna be the helmet girl. I didn’t guess the mom. Which, honestly, I should’ve. She played his mom before.
Overall, super gory. Reminded me of the later Saint’s Row games with the cartoony violence.
4/5 – it was a’ight. Watch for H. Jon Benjamin.
Whew!
That’s a lot of movies.
Laters!
~ Harper