Alls Well When Read (and Watched) #8: Weekend Round Up
It feels good to be back!
This week’s weekend round up is a bit lighter than normal, but I’m happy to say that Alls Well When Read (and Watched) is finally back in action! Between true crime, super heroes, and some rock and roll drama, there is still a lot to talk about and digest here so let’s get to it!
Movies I Watched
Shazam! Fury of the Gods (7.5/10)
Shazam! Fury of the Gods, while very linear and predictable, still had some of the same magic that made the first film so great. Filled with teenage humor, growing pangs, family love, and amped up BAM! SLAP! ZAP! type of action, the film shows that no matter how old Billy and the rest of his siblings get, we can always turn to Shazam to bring out our inner kid and have a great time.
Now for the linear part: if you’re looking for something surprising or that will take you in 10 different directions, you’re not going to get that here. The plot follows a very straight line, with nothing shocking really happening until the last 15 minutes or so (unless you consider unicorns and Skittles part of the shock). So, is it fair to call this a very, very average superhero film? Yes. Does that take away from it? It depends on what you were hoping to get out of it. For me, I enjoyed the simplicity but if that’s not want you want, this film may fall short for you.
Go see it in theaters now!
Boston Strangler (8.5/10)
No, this is definitely not the 1968 version with Tony Curtis. Boston Strangler (2023) features Keira Knightley as Loretta McLaughlin and Carrie Coon as Jean Cole, the two reporters who uncovered corruption while they relentlessly pursued the identity of the Strangler (and *spoiler alert* there may be more than one).
It may be easy for some to write off this film as unnuanced, uneventful, and even bland. But don’t let this fool you! The real terror of this movie comes from the idea that there will never be just one Strangler, or just killers in general. Whether it was the Strangler, Ted Bundy, or BTK, there were murderers before them and there will be more after, and we can’t do anything about it. We can only try to survive and coexist. And that is exactly why we didn’t see gore and bloody terror from this film – we’re surrounded by the scary possibilities everyday, in real life.
Ultimately, Boston Strangler is solid. It’s captivating and unnerving while still maintaining its understated appeal, letting the facts gradually increase the tension on their own without forcing any mangled bodies or blood on us. And that, I appreciate.
Check it out on Hulu!
Hunt Her, Kill Her (6/10)
Hunt Her, Kill Her (2022) is a low-budget survival horror film that’s perfect for someone looking for something that’s lean, but still has enough tension to keep them engaged. Featuring male predators that trap and try to kill a badass protagonist in a warehouse overnight, the film gives off the same claustrophobic, very mean vibes as other films like Vacancy and Don’t Breathe. The difference here is that Hunt Her, Kill Her is a one-trick pony, entirely dependent on barbaric killings and lots of blood. Nothing tricky, sly, or shocking about this one! Just straight up gore and violence – which was a great change for me!
My only real gripe with Hunt Her, Kill Her is that the runtime is a little too long, and because of this, it loses gas by the end. There is only so much that can be done with a simple plot like this one so shorter, snappier scenes and details would’ve worked much better.
Hunt Her, Kill Her was in theaters, so it will most likely be made available on streaming services soon!
Shows I Watched
Daisy Jones & The Six (6.5/10)
I still go back and forth with Daisy Jones & The Six because while I do like the series, it’s missing a lot of the raw magic that made the book so special. Because of this, the series comes off as pretty, but lacks substance, making it tedious to watch sometimes, no matter how aesthetically pleasing it is. The show starts off as a very slow burn, and we don’t get the juicy details we need until the 3rd episode and on. It feels like this is done purposely to keep us reeled in for that one big, shocking moment but right now, it seems like it’ll never come. All we have are electrifying performances and fabulous outfits to pay attention to – and a love triangle that we all saw was coming from a 100 miles away.