Tyler Nichols https://www.joblo.com/author/tylernichols/ The JoBlo Movie Network features the latest movie news, trailers, and more. Updated daily. Mon, 21 Oct 2024 15:38:52 +0000 en-US hourly 1 https://wordpress.org/?v=6.6.2 Classified Review: Where’s the Action?! https://www.joblo.com/classified-review-wheres-the-action/ https://www.joblo.com/classified-review-wheres-the-action/#respond Mon, 21 Oct 2024 15:38:49 +0000 https://www.joblo.com/?p=802887 Aaron Eckhart stars in yet another lame action movie with very little action and features more walking from place to place than anything.

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PLOT: A career CIA hitman who’s been solely using the classified section of various newspapers to receive his orders suddenly discovers that his division’s actually been shut down for years.

REVIEW: As of late, Aaron Eckhart has been making a career starring in these low-budget action flicks. Decidedly more focused on the conversations versus actual bombastic action, this is what I’d refer to as a “wait and see” action movie. The action beats are over just as fast as they begin, and it’s much more about the setup. This is clearly due to budget constraints but also a bit of creative laziness, as it gets quite shocking with how little is actually happening. I’ll give you three guesses as to which type of action film Classified is…

Eckhart stars as Evan Shaw, a CIA hitman who is told that his division has actually been shut down for years and he’s been taking orders from a mysterious third party. Shaw checks all the boxes of a movie hitman: he recently met the love of his life and wants to leave the business. Only the business clearly won’t let him leave. Have you heard this one about a million times before? I won’t dog Eckhart’s acting as I’m not sure I’ve seen the guy deliver a bad performance but he clearly needs to pick better scripts as Shaw is about as one-dimensional as possible. Then there’s Abigail Breslin, who appears in what is essentially the plucky sidekick role. She’s good with computers and everything else you would expect from this stereotype on two legs.

Tim Roth also shows up, and it may just be the most stereotypical role possible. Just the mere casting of Roth in the part makes the script all the more predictable. And it doesn’t help that he’s practically sleepwalking through his role. Breslin is also done no favors by the script and her character is tasked with a ton of exposition right when introduced. She feels like she’s in an entirely different movie at times. And her connections with MI6 are about as silly as you’d imagine.

The action always feels so disconnected from itself. Bad guys may be shooting but it doesn’t even feel like it’s in the same scene as our actors. Most of the time it’s just Eckhart and Breslin hurriedly walking away from the bad people. There’s never any moment where it feels like Shaw is in charge of the situation. Hell, I wouldn’t even call him a good hitman. Maybe a lucky one. There’s so much coincidence having to occur that it’s hard to see Shaw as some kind of genius.

I took some solace in the fact that Classified is pretty well shot. I’m a sucker for a shallow depth of field and there’s rarely a flat shot. But there’s this dumb soft, overexposed filter on the flashback sequences that make the film look amateurish in parts. This really clashes with some of the gorgeous European visuals. The technical side is so well done makes everything else going on make less sense. Classified is a mess no matter what way you cut it. With actors that look like they don’t want to be there and action that feels more suited for television, this is a pretty miserable experience. Add in one of the most generic stories about a hitman possible and it’s hard to see how this was ever supposed to succeed.

CLASSIFIED IS AVAILABLE TO BUY OR RENT ON DIGITAL OCTOBER 22, 2024.

Classified

TERRIBLE

3

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MadS Review: Shudder’s One Take Zombie Film https://www.joblo.com/mads-review-shudders-one-take-zombie-film/ https://www.joblo.com/mads-review-shudders-one-take-zombie-film/#respond Sun, 20 Oct 2024 13:00:00 +0000 https://www.joblo.com/?p=802854 Shudder's zombie film takes an interesting approach, with the entire narrative taking place in a single continuous shot.

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PLOT: A teenager who stops off to see his dealer to test a new drug before heading off for a night of partying. On the way home, he picks up an injured woman and the night takes a surreal turn.

REVIEW: The gimmick of the one-take scene has gotten pretty out of control in recent years with varied success. Netflix’s Extraction action series utilizes various techniques to accomplish long, seemingly unbroken takes. And with the many setups that action movies require, the unbroken takes are all the more impressive. But it’s been diminished as less and less effort is made towards execution. Often digitally stitched together, the one-take-shot no longer has that same sense of wonder it did when Henry Hill walked through the back of the restaurant and finally reached his table. But if there’s anyone that can make something interesting again: it’s the French.

The story of MadS is pretty simple: Eighteen-year-old, Romain just wants to party and takes a mysterious new pill. But his trippy night takes a bad turn when he comes across an injured woman on the road. Romain has to figure out what is happening, while his mental faculties aren’t entirely present. MadS is a zombie film and like many from that subgenre, witnessing the zombie outbreak is a common occurrence. What this does so well is by following individual people during the chaos, we can see the outbreak at a more surface level. This feels like a much more personal story than the zombie films we’re used to, while still putting up a wall between the characters and the viewer that never truly allows them to feel real.

Since the story plays out in real-time, we can see this chaos unroll at the same time as our lead’s bad trip. I’m sure there’s some digital stitching going on with the edits, which is understandable given its nearly 90-minute runtime. This is a very dark movie, and I’m sure that really helped aid in some of the camera cuts. But it can be a bit nauseating with so much of the movie being visually indistinguishable. I could hardly even tell what was happening in some scenes. There were times when I desperately wanted the film to break from its one-take gimmick and just expand upon this interesting world. I’d love to see more of what’s happening, but it’s all so constrained by the storytelling method.

Right around an hour in, things start to get sloppy. To maintain the mystery of the events, despite being in real-time, MadS requires some ridiculously stupid character moments. I often struggle in movies when people ignore the obvious happening in front of them. There are some really dumb character moments like when Julia takes Ana on the motorcycle despite her clearly being messed up. It’s one of those idiotic movie moments where 99% of people would have stopped driving and pulled over. But we have a movie to finish so there’s no logic or reason allowed here.

MadS plays out like a bad trip. The one-take approach allows you to go down the journey into madness while still never quite understanding the parameters of the world shown. The zombies here are more like Evil Dead Demons than the typical shambling flesh-eaters. This makes them a bit more intriguing and allows a bit more personality to shine through. However, sometimes I wonder if the main direction given to the “zombie actors” was simply to act like Isabelle Adjani in Possession. Not that I’m complaining. It worked for Nell Tiger Free in The First Omen.

Like most gimmicky films, MadS isn’t going to be for everyone. While I found interest in even the mundane moments due to the journey of the characters, not everyone will be down for the ride. This is presented in a very different way than most audiences are used to and will therefore have a tough hill to climb. I found the narrative (or lack thereof) to be a bit frustrating as the film went on. Like any gimmick film, once that main draw starts to become tired, there sure better be other elements for the audience to attach themselves to. And sadly, MadS never really gets past the gimmick of the one-take-shot.

MADS IS STREAMING ON SHUDDER ON OCTOBER 18TH, 2024.

MadS

AVERAGE

6

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Interview: Damien Leone and Chris Jericho Talk All Things Terrifier 3 https://www.joblo.com/interview-terrifier-3-2/ https://www.joblo.com/interview-terrifier-3-2/#respond Thu, 17 Oct 2024 16:02:42 +0000 https://www.joblo.com/?p=802188 Damien Leone and Chris Jericho talk about their favorite Terrifier 3 kills and which Christmas Horror films they must pay homage to.

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Last year, when Damien Leone made the announcement that Art the Clown would be getting a Christmas-themed sequel releasing October 2024, I’m not sure any of us expected it to dethrone the Clown Prince of Crime at the box office. But that’s exactly what happened and now the franchise seems to be positioned to give horror fans everything they’ve ever wanted. By avoiding studio dollars, Leone’s vision is uncompromising. This means gore, gore, gore! But it also means a relationship built with fans where, by giving them something truly shocking, Terrifier is in a place that no horror film has been in decades: one of complete creative freedom. Which makes the future of the series more tantalizing than ever.

When I spoke to Damien last year for the Terrifier 2, he was antsy about a certain kill in 3. So now that we’re speaking again, I made sure to ask the Terrifier 3 director about which kill that happened to be. And it may surprise you. But it wasn’t just the writer/director I was lucky enough to speak to as Chris Jericho also joined in on the fun. As shown by his appearance at the end of 2, any expectation of a lengthy role would be a mistake. We got into just how last-minute Jericho’s scene happened as well as the process of getting prosthetics for his face made. I can only imagine how happy both are now that Terrifier 3 is the number-one film in the country. Terrifier fans should get a kick out of this behind-the-scenes insight on the third entry.

TERRIFIER 3 plot synopsis: Art the Clown is set to unleash chaos on the unsuspecting residents of Miles County as they peacefully drift off to sleep on Christmas Eve.

Terrifier 3

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https://www.joblo.com/interview-terrifier-3-2/feed/ 0 Terrifier 3 interview with Damien Leone and Chris Jericho Interview: Damien Leone and Chris Jericho on their favorite Terrifier 3 kills and which Christmas Horror films they must pay homage to. Chris Jericho,Damien Leone,Terrifier,Terrifier 2,Terrifier 3,Terrifier 3 interview TERRIFIER 3 Comic-Con Teaser Poster FINAL https://www.joblo.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/10/damien_leone_interview_joblo_main.jpg
We Need To #SaveChucky https://www.joblo.com/we-need-to-savechucky/ https://www.joblo.com/we-need-to-savechucky/#respond Sun, 13 Oct 2024 19:17:24 +0000 https://www.joblo.com/?p=801800 After Chucky's cancellation, the power is in the hands of the fans if we truly want another season to wrap up this story.

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#SaveChucky

After season three of Chucky ended, fans were subjected to a painfully long wait as the show’s future was decided. Ultimately, USA/SyFy/Peacock canceled Chucky and the entire horror world shed a bloody tear. Even if you weren’t a fan of the franchise, it’s hard to deny how great it was having a classic horror villain get such a mainstream spotlight. Hell, we even got to see Chucky kill WWE Women’s Champion Liv Morgan. It’s the kind of thing that only works in the ludicrous world of Chucky. And with Season 3 ending off on such a cliffhanger, this cancellation really leaves fans high and dry. But there’s still hope in multiple forms.

Don Manicini mentioned earlier this year that he was prepping another movie involving Chucky and it would “work in tandem with the TV show.” Obviously, with this change of events, I’m sure the movie can serve as a mixture of what it was originally intended to be, as well as wrap up loose ends from the show. And if the show is absolutely gone then fine. A movie would be a nice way to wrap things up. But I’d argue that hope is not lost yet for another season either because…

Another Network could easily pick up Chucky and air it on their channel/streaming platform!

We’ve seen Manifest get saved by Netflix and then be a massive hit for them but that was far from the first time. The Mindy Project, Brooklyn 99, Warrior Nun, Magnum P.I., Cougar Town, and Lucifer are among many shows that have been canceled, only to be revived by another network or streamer. Many have been quite successful, with even the failures still providing a conclusion for fans who would have otherwise been shafted. And the one common thread with all of these shows is having a devoted fanbase that campaigned for the show to return to the air. But what about the cast themselves?

Most have already taken to social media to show their support for the #SaveChucky campaign. I was fortunate enough to talk with Don and the entire cast about the show during promotion for Season Three and it’s evident this is a labor of love. So I can’t imagine it would be difficult to get them back. But like anything in life, the more time that passes, the less likely it is to happen. So it’s time for fans of Chucky and Child’s Play to go on social media, and make their presence known. And just by looking on any social media platform, you can see the #SaveChucky campaign in full force.

And there’s one element that isn’t being talked about nearly enough in the midst of all of this: Chucky being canceled effectively retires Brad Dourif. As we discovered during my talk with him, Dourif considers himself retired from acting outside of his performance as Chucky. And as someone who’s not ready to say goodbye to Dourif or his lovely voice on screen, this is all the more reason to want the show back. And if that’s not enough to motivate you, then I don’t know what will.

So make sure you’re still using the #SaveChucky tag on social media to help show that there is an interest out there for more Chucky. Because after getting three seasons of this little bastard wreaking havoc on television, the world feels a little more empty knowing we won’t get to see Devon Sawa die in another horrific way.

Do you think we’ll get another season of Chucky? Do social media fan campaigns even work? Would a movie be a better idea? Let us know in the comments below!

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Terrifier Movies Ranked: From Worst to Best! https://www.joblo.com/ranking-the-terrifier-franchise-from-worst-to-best/ https://www.joblo.com/ranking-the-terrifier-franchise-from-worst-to-best/#respond Sun, 13 Oct 2024 13:45:34 +0000 https://www.joblo.com/?p=798816 With Terrifier 3 now in theaters, we rank Damien Leone's gore-soaked Art the Clown series from worst to best!

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When All Hallow’s Eve was released back in 2013, I doubt many of us thought we’d be getting a whole franchise out of the creepy miming clown. Yet we just saw the release of the third entry in the Terrifier franchise–and it’s set at Christmas! So we here at JoBlo wanted to take a look back on the series and see where exactly they fall in terms of quality. Because it’s the rare series that seems to “level up” with each entry, always improving upon the production in some way. Though, they’ve always had the blood and guts handled pretty well. After all, if there’s one thing the series is known for: it’s the gore. But there are also some great characters and shocking moments that give each film their distinct personalities. So let’s see where they fall on this, Terrifier Movies Ranked:

Terrifier 2

The Worst: Terrifier 2 (2022)

I’ll probably get heat for this but I’ve never been a fan of the second entry. It’s too long and I never got into the strange backstory with Sienna. And the acting from young Jonathan made my ears bleed. But there are still plenty of great kills in this, as Art really languishes in the torture this time around. Plus, Lauren LaVera‘s Sienna has one of the most iconic final girl outfits of all time, with her winged warrior costume. And Art is really starting to get into his murder groove.

All Hallow's Eve

All Hallow’s Eve (2013)

Art the Clown appears in all three stories of this anthology film and it’s not quite the fully formed Art that we’re used to seeing. You may notice the makeup is a bit different and that’s because it’s not David Howard Thornton underneath it. Instead, Mike Giannelli plays Art and it’s decidedly less interesting. Art is still scary due to Leone’s vision for the character, but he does seem to be missing that special something. Even so, the stories unfolding are pretty gnarly, with several unexpected victims.

Terrifier Movies Ranked

Terrifier (2016)

One thing that the first film does so well is feeling like an old campfire tale. Art is a force of nature and you feel terrible for anyone that crosses his path here. Catherine Corcoran has one of the best deaths of the series and it establishes Art as being absolutely ruthless. There’s not much in terms of character here as this is definitely the Art the Clown show. And that’s not a bad thing as he definitely leans into the more “mime on the verge of snapping” approach.

Terrifier Movies Ranked

The Best: Terrifier 3 (2024)

Rarely does the third (fourth?) entry in a franchise end up being the best, especially when it goes for a gimmick like setting the film at Christmas. Yet somehow Terrifier 3 provides a truly fantastic experience from start to finish. From shocking moments that you can’t believe are actually happening to a more succinct plot, there’s a lot for horror fans to latch onto. Plus, is there anything better than people leaving your movie early because they’re so offended at what’s happening on screen? If anything, it’s a mark of pride. I absolutely loved this film and feel it’s the perfect way to do a holiday film, while not being beholden to the holiday for your plot. This allows the film to be watched whenever versus simply at Christmas time, which makes this a massive win.

How would YOU rank the Terrifier series? What did you think of Terrifier 3? Is Art the Clown a worthy bad guy? Let us know in the comments below!

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https://www.joblo.com/ranking-the-terrifier-franchise-from-worst-to-best/feed/ 0 Terrifier Movies Ranked: From Worst to Best! With Terrifier 3 now in theaters, we ranked Damien Leone's gore-soaked Art the Clown movies from worst to best! All Hallow's Eve,Art the Clown,Damien Leone,David Howard Thornton,Lauren LaVera,Terrifier,Terrifier 2,Terrifier 3,terrifier movies ranked Te pic1 MV5BNWUyYWI0N2EtZTRmMC00YjU5LWJlZmUtNmZiZmYyZGQ3ZTNlXkEyXkFqcGdeQXVyMDIwNTUxMg@@._V1_ art-t3.png https://www.joblo.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/10/terrifier-4.jpg
Terrifier 3 Review: The goriest (and best) of the series so far https://www.joblo.com/terrifier-3-review/ https://www.joblo.com/terrifier-3-review/#respond Fri, 11 Oct 2024 19:52:02 +0000 https://www.joblo.com/?p=800413 Damien Leone manages to provide the best entry yet with plenty of fantastic kills and more shocking moments than you can count.

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PLOT: Art the Clown is set to unleash chaos on the unsuspecting residents of Miles County as they peacefully drift off to sleep on Christmas Eve.

REVIEW: When you think Terrifier, you usually think Art the Clown and a whole lot of murder. And if there’s one thing he’s good at, it’s the red stuff. The one issue I’ve always had with the Terrifier series is that it’s always been lacking in narrative. It mostly felt like moving from kill to kill and trying to soak in the trauma of it all. The second one introduces more background but it still doesn’t feel like a cohesive story. Finally, Terrifier 3 feels like what the series was always meant to be.

Terrifier 3 picks up five years after the events of 2, with the survivors just trying to live their lives. Sienna (Lauren LaVera) still has a lot of PTSD. And it only gets worse when she starts seeing Art the Clown yet again, and townsfolk start getting violently murdered. Her brother Jonathan is much more of a side character this time around (thank god) and we get a whole Christmas theme. Despite this, it doesn’t feel overly holiday-themed, giving enough of its own identity to not solely be grouped as Christmas horror. This can definitely be watched at any time of the year.

The entire opening sequence is ridiculously impressive. It’s pretty much what you would expect from a slasher but it ramps things up so quickly and heads firmly into: “Did they just do that?” territory. It’s one of many iconic scenes that puts shocking kills at the forefront but makes sure not to skimp on the tension. There are great shots that fully utilize the Christmas atmosphere. The acting is much better this time around, with nearly everyone that returns improving their performances. There are some really funny cameos from the world of horror like Clint Howard, Tom Savini, Daniel Roebuck, and Jason Patric.

I was skeptical about Art the Clown being touted as being a “legendary horror villain” with so many limited appearances. But I’m finally starting to see it. David Howard Thornton brings some maniacal joy to Art that can’t be matched. When Art isn’t murdering, I love how much more lore is added to the series. They add just enough to give more of a clear image of his evil, without going overboard with origin. Art becomes more and more intriguing with every entry because there’s still a layer of mystery surrounding him.

Terrifier 3 review

One element I loved was the introduction of a girl obsessed with Art and his killings. There’s a great moment where she talks all about Art’s exploits as he gets giddy out in the hallway, hearing all of his achievements. Moments like that help to bring in the fun versus soaking in the traumatic moments. While there is certainly a fair share of brutal scenes, it’s all presented in such an entertaining way. The setup and payoff are expertly handled.

If I had to complain about anything it’s some of the stereotypical story beats. The fact that people still don’t believe Sienna after all she’s gone through results in nothing but frustration and annoyance. But it does make their murders all the more satisfying. There’s also a child character that doesn’t entirely work and I wish was excised completely. And I’d still argue there’s no reason for a film like this to be over 2 hours long. Despite that, Terrifier 3 is a lot of fun. By not selling out to a studio, Damien Leone continues to be absolutely relentless in his pursuit of horrific murder. Art even takes aim at children this time (quite a few times) so this isn’t for the sensitive.  And that’s precisely the kind of franchise the horror world needs right now.

TERRIFIER 3 will release In Theaters Nationwide on October 11, 2024

art the clown

Terrifier 3

GREAT

8
8

Viewer Ratings (1 review)

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Interview: Lauren LaVera and David Howard Thornton Talk Their Favorite Terrifier 3 Kills and More! https://www.joblo.com/interview-terrifier-3/ https://www.joblo.com/interview-terrifier-3/#respond Fri, 11 Oct 2024 16:15:56 +0000 https://www.joblo.com/?p=801163 While writer/director Damien Leone‘s Terrifier films may not be annual releases, they are welcomed by the horror community with open...

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While writer/director Damien Leone‘s Terrifier films may not be annual releases, they are welcomed by the horror community with open arms whenever they do happen to unleash onto the world. I, like many others, was very excited when it was announced that the third entry would be taking place at Christmas time. With how many classic films have come from that specific niche, it’s easy to have very high expectations. And with the current entry having walkouts during the opening, you know that audiences are in for something brutal. I happened to love the movie and think that it’s the best film in the trilogy!

It’s clear from talking to stars Lauren LaVera and David Howard Thornton that they could not be bigger fans of the franchise. From their love of the characters to a desire to give horror fans something they haven’t seen before, it’s clear they both love it. So we get into their favorite kill in the newest entry, as well as where they hope the franchise goes in the future. And given the Christmas theme, I had to ask them which Christmas Horror films were their favorite. This is a great chat that you don’t want to miss!

TERRIFIER 3 plot synopsis: Art the Clown is set to unleash chaos on the unsuspecting residents of Miles County as they peacefully drift off to sleep on Christmas Eve.

TERRIFIER 3 will release In Theaters Nationwide on October 11, 2024

Terrifier 3

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Mr. Crocket Review: Hulu’s latest horror flick is a gem https://www.joblo.com/mr-crocket-review/ https://www.joblo.com/mr-crocket-review/#respond Fri, 11 Oct 2024 15:11:55 +0000 https://www.joblo.com/?p=801204 Mr. Crocket feels like Freddy Krueger's younger brother and as such, there's fun to be had with this horror take on a children's TV host.

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Mr. Crocket review

PLOT: A mother embarks on a perilous quest to rescue her son from a demonic children’s show host who is kidnapping kids.

REVIEW: Hulu has been making a concentrated effort to give the Horror genre it’s due with plenty of low-budget films with interesting concepts releasing every October as part of their Huluween initiative. While not all have landed, I appreciate the fact that they’re trying something different. Shudder can’t do everything for the horror world. And I was intrigued by the idea of a kid’s television host coming out of the television to murder parents and kidnap children. It’s a terrifying idea with so many possibilities to get under your skin. It comes from an episode of Bite Size Halloween which has now been expanded into a full-length feature film. So how exactly does Mr. Crocket fare? Better than you would think.

Mr. Crocket follows a mother (Jerrika Hinton) as she witnesses her son kidnapped by an otherworldly entity. With the cops not believing her, she attempts to find out more about this mysterious kid’s show host that her son was obsessed with prior to his abduction. The idea of someone coming out of our television sets has been done before, with The Ring being the most famous instance. And with nearly every home having its own television, this fear can be universal. The story is set in the year 1993, but that hardly ever really comes into play. It feels like they just really wanted to use CRT televisions and VHS tapes since they’re a great visual. And I can’t blame them.

Jerrika does a fine job but her character is a bit frustrating. She treats her kid poorly and sets the stage for Crocket to take him so it’s hard to find her endearing. But I didn’t mind, as this was one of those films where it was fun to root for the villain. Memorable bad guys are hard to come by but Elvis Nolasco‘s Mr. Crocket scares in just the right way. He’s able to do the Mr. Rogers side well but it’s his evil side that is the most intriguing. There’s a playful almost Freddy Krueger-like quality to him. His smile, happy demeanor, sweater, and bow tie really make for an unsettling image. And there’s just enough that remains unexplained that makes him all the more intriguing. There are times when he switches from good to evil and it’s such a great transition.

Mr. Crocket review

Despite the subject matter of children being abducted, the way it’s framed allows the narrative to still be fun. The parents who are being killed are treating their children like crap, so you’re practically rooting Crocket on as he takes them out. And I loved the almost Nightmarescape of Crocket’s world. With plenty of Dutch angles and floaty camera tricks, the visuals really impress. It’s clear that director Brandon Espy wanted to keep things visually interesting, which helps out with some of the stereotypical story beats.

I was a little disappointed that they didn’t fully utilize some of the creative elements throughout the entire runtime. The first set of kills involve Crocket using his Pee Wee’s Playhouse style furniture to murder, yet they seem forgotten about in the second half outside of a moment or two. Because of that, Crocket’s powerset feels a little unbalanced. Why would he not use those in the end when they seem to be the most powerful of his abilities? There’s plenty of sloppiness around the narrative, with coincidence being an all-too-common plot device.

Mr. Crocket feels like a great October movie to watch with friends as its goal is simply to entertain. There are some dumb moments but they weren’t dealbreakers for me as I really loved the concept of Crocket and his world was intriguing. There are plenty of fantastic visuals, fully taking advantage of the Pee Wee’s Playhouse in Hell aesthetic. They leave it open enough that we could get a sequel, which is what I’m most interested in as they could easily build on what works and excise what doesn’t. There’s a lot of potential here and I’m really hoping this isn’t our only run-in with Mr. Crocket.

MR. CROCKET STREAMS TO HULU ON OCTOBER 11TH, 2024.

A trailer has been released for the horror film Mr. Crocket, which will be released through the Hulu streaming service in October
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Outer Banks: Season 4 Review – We Saw Part 1 of OBX’s Return! https://www.joblo.com/outer-banks-season-4-review/ https://www.joblo.com/outer-banks-season-4-review/#respond Thu, 10 Oct 2024 16:15:07 +0000 https://www.joblo.com/?p=801373 Season 4 is off to an exciting start with a time jump and new character revelations, but very little happens in this half of the season.

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PLOT: After finding the gold at El Dorado, the Pogues return to the OBX and commit to having a “normal” life. They’ve built themselves a new haven, officially dubbed “Poguelandia 2.0”, where they live together and run a fairly successful bait, tackle, and charter tour shop. But after some financial setbacks, John B, Sarah, Kiara, JJ, Pope, and Cleo take Wes up on his offer, drawn back into the “G” game for a whole new adventure.

REVIEW: There are few shows that Netflix has seen greater success with than Outer Banks. With its hot young cast and focus on fun over logic, it’s proven to be a great escape for many people. Following a group of friends known as The Pogues, each season has a different treasure to hunt down. Having already found the gold of El Dorado Now starting its fourth season with an 18-month time jump, there’s a new goal in its sights: Blackbeard’s sunken treasure.

I will be 100% honest: I’m not a day one Outer Banks fan and only was acquainted with the show over the last month. So I’m sure there’s going to be some subtle stuff that I miss or things that long-term fans care about, that I may simply not. And as much as I’m a big horror guy, I also have a soft spot for teen TV dramas so I’ll still give it a fair shake. And as a millennial, the clear comparisons to The OC made this one easy to digest.

Outer Banks review

Outer Banks season 4 picks up with the Pogues trying to put their lives back together and decide what to do with the money they earned from El Dorado. So they decide to open up a bait and tackle stand along the beach. Not sure how big of moneymakers those tend to be but they felt confident putting their million-plus reward into it. Pollyanna McIntosh is the season’s Big Bad, though we mostly see her right-hand man, Lightner (Rigo Sanchez). They’re properly over the top in their evilness. They’re also after Blackbeard’s treasure but, given the motivation of money, it’s hard to root for the Pogues either. I’d rather the treasure just not be found by either group.

Hilariously, one of the big conflicts for the season is that The Pogues have to get enough money to pay their property taxes on the business. You’d think they’d already have enough money left over from their treasure hunting expedition but that’s explained away through a lost beach race. The writers constantly have to put self-imposed roadblocks just to keep the characters’ backs against the wall. It comes across as extremely lazy writing. Most of the dramatic elements feel really silly and the show has a hard time presenting hard conversations. When things are lighthearted and fun, it’s a good time. But it can be a bit eye-roll-worthy when they try to do something more serious story beats. But I will give them credit, they handle romance well. For the most part.

John B. and Sarah Cameron tend to be the “A couple” but this season they take more of a backseat. Who’s to say if this was always the plan or just a logistical solution? I’ve always had a fascination with the fact that Chase Stokes and Madelyn Cline had a very public breakup, yet have still had to perform as a couple on the show. It’s something I can’t help but notice in each episode, whether it’s body language or a lack of scenes with the two of them. There’s no doubt that it’s affected the trajectory of this couple on the show, but they don’t seem to be hinting at any trouble in paradise. So kudos to the actors for being so professional. But it means John B and Sarah are just kind of…there during the events this season.

Outer Banks review

Kiara and JJ have really taken over as the main characters of the group. Sure, Outer Banks still does a good job of balancing between all of the Pogues, but they seem to have the most interesting plotlines. Even during a heated moment on the beach, Sarah and John B simply stay behind, allowing Kiara and JJ to have a big dramatic standoff with the Kooks. They have the most to do and have some of the more dramatic reveals of the season. Pope and Cleo are paired off but mostly feel like characters used for plot advancement. Need exposition or an info dump? Use Pope. Need a damsel in distress? Use Cleo. Their characters feel a bit shortchanged because of it.

The first half of this Outer Banks season ends on quite the cliffhanger, with JJ’s parentage finally being addressed in a more concrete way. There are clearly going to be some interesting revelations in the second half of the season. I think your enjoyment is going to hinge on just how much you can suspend your disbelief. One big issue with Netflix splitting up their seasons (in an effort to stretch out subscription lengths) is that the narratives feel cut off at the knee. Just as the season is getting into the swing of things, it’s already over. And honestly, not a whole lot even happened. Sure, the Pogues have their new mission, but everything is still developing to the point where it’s hard to tell where the second half will even end up. But the first half was very average, devoid of any major plot developments save for a brief moment to intrigue viewers for Part 2.

OUTER BANKS: SEASON FOUR PART ONE STREAMS ON NETFLIX ON OCTOBER 10TH, 2024.

Outer Banks

AVERAGE

6

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Interview: Madelyn Cline, Chase Stokes, and more talk Outer Banks S4 https://www.joblo.com/interview-outer-banks-s4/ https://www.joblo.com/interview-outer-banks-s4/#respond Wed, 09 Oct 2024 16:10:58 +0000 https://www.joblo.com/?p=800839 JoBlo talks to the cast of the Outer Banks about the struggles of Season 4, filming in Charleston, and the importance of property taxes.

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Netflix’s Outer Banks absolutely took over the streaming service in 2020. While all of us were stuck inside, a group of teens exploring outdoors appealed to many. It was like watching grown-up Goonies. Only less sad. And it has continued that success even post-Pandemic, with its fourth season set to release October 10th. After the cliffhanger at the end of Season 3, I’m sure fans are chomping at the bit to find out what happens to the Pogues.

Having not watched the series before, I did a quick catchup so I could talk to the cast of the show. That’s right, we talked to Chase Stokes, Madelyn Cline, Madison Bailey, Rudy Pankow, Drew Starkey, J.D., and Carlacia Grant about their experience during Season 4. From their rituals to help them get into character, to their favorite places in the filming location of Charleston, South Carolina, we get into it all. But my favorite moment probably came when I asked them about life lessons they’ve taken from TV/Film. It’s a very fun moment and worth a look in the video above. We even had to cut a little portion out as they talked about the second half of the season (which doesn’t release until November 7th). So if you’re a fan, there may be some hints at what’s to come.

OUTER BANKS: SEASON 4 plot synopsis: Following last season’s 18-month flash-forward showing Wes Genrette’s proposal for the Pogues to find Blackbeard’s treasure, Season 4 takes us back in time to the lead-up of that moment. After finding the gold at El Dorado, the Pogues return to the OBX and commit to having a “normal” life. They’ve built themselves a new safe haven, officially dubbed “Poguelandia 2.0”, where they live together and run a fairly successful bait, tackle, and charter tour shop. But after some financial setbacks, John B, Sarah, Kiara, JJ, Pope, and Cleo take Wes up on his offer, drawn back into the “G” game for a whole new adventure. But before they know it, they’re well in over their heads, with dangerous new enemies hot on their heels racing them to the treasure. Meanwhile, their problems are only growing, and they’re forced to question their past, present, and future – who they really are, has it all been worth it, and how much are they willing to risk?

OUTER BANKS: SEASON 4: PART 1 STREAMS ON NETFLIX ON OCTOBER 10TH, 2024 WITH PART 2 RELEASING NOVEMBER 7TH, 2024.

Outer Banks

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https://www.joblo.com/interview-outer-banks-s4/feed/ 0 Outer Banks interviews with the cast on the struggles of season 4 JoBlo interviews with the cast of the Outer Banks about the struggles of Season 4, filming in Charleston, and the importance of property taxes Carlacia Grant,Chase Stokes,Drew Starkey,Jonathan Daviss,Madelyn Cline,Madison Bailey,Outer Banks,Rudy Pankow,outer banks interviews unnamed https://www.joblo.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/10/IMG_2796.jpeg