Category Archives: Reviews

The Deliverance’ Ultimately Empty-Handed



“The Deliverance” promises a feast of fear but serves up reheated leftovers. It’s a cinematic bait-and-switch that’ll leave horror fans feeling like they’ve been tricked into attending a PTA meeting.

The film kicks off with a tantalizing appetizer of domestic dread. A fly infestation buzzes with menace, mysterious bruises bloom like sinister flowers, and an oppressive atmosphere oozes from every frame. For a moment, we’re gripped by the terror of the ordinary—a family unit crumbling under supernatural strain.

But faster than you can say “I see dead people,” we’re careening down Cliché Canyon. The scares that follow are as predictable as a calendar and half as exciting. The wall-crawling kid is about as frightening as a six-year-old on a jungle gym and a sugar high.

Lee Daniels, usually a maestro of the macabre human condition, seems to have misplaced his mojo. His direction, once razor-sharp in movies like “Precious” and “The Buler,” now feels as dull as a plastic butter knife. It’s like watching a lion decide to become a housecat—all purr, no roar.

Into this muddled miasma steps Andra Day as Ebony. Her performance crackles with desperate fury, especially during a dinner table confrontation that serves up a main course of raw dysfunction. For a precious few scenes, we glimpse the film that could have been—intense, unsettling, and authentically horrifying.

But even Day’s formidable talents can’t salvage this sinking ship. The demon, meant to be the film’s driving terror, comes off as a B-movie reject—about as frightening as a deflated Halloween decoration.

The finale’s stab at redemption feels more forced than a group hug at a misanthropes’ convention. It’s a Hallmark card stapled to a ouija board—neither convincing nor cathartic.

In the end, “The Deliverance” doesn’t deliver; it disappoints. It’s a magic trick where we can see all the strings, leaving us neither fooled nor amazed—just vaguely irritated at the waste of potential. Horror fans, save yourselves. This is one exorcism that should’ve been left unperformed.​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​

Deja Viewed: ‘The Big Chill’

“The Big Chill” isn’t just a movie – it’s a time machine set to the beat of Motown.

Lawrence Kasdan’s 1983 gem reunites college friends for a weekend of soul-searching after a tragedy. It’s a snapshot of a generation realizing their revolution got lost in the mail.

The ensemble cast is a who’s who of ’80s talent. Glenn Close, William Hurt, and Jeff Goldblum lead a group so natural you’d think they shared a dorm.

But let’s talk about that soundtrack. It’s not background noise – it’s practically a character. The Temptations, Aretha Franklin, Marvin Gaye – each track is a time portal to the characters’ glory days.

When the needle drops on “I Heard It Through the Grapevine,” you can feel the years melt away. For a moment, they’re young again, full of hope and terrible dance moves.

Kasdan’s direction is like a good host – it knows when to mingle and when to step back. He gives his actors room to breathe, resulting in moments that feel stolen from real life.

The film walks a tightrope between laughter and tears. One minute you’re chuckling at Jeff Goldblum’s acerbic wit, the next you’re gut-punched by the raw emotion of a shared loss.

Yes, it’s a Baby Boomer manifesto. But strip away the ’60s references, and you’ve got a universal story about growing up and realizing life isn’t what you ordered.

“The Big Chill” is comfort food for the soul. It reminds us that while we can’t go back, we can always gather our tribe, crank up some Smokey Robinson, and dance in the kitchen.

It’s a film that, like its soundtrack, only gets better with age. It’s a testament to the power of friendship, the pain of compromise, and the eternal hope that maybe, just maybe, we can still change the world.

Now, if you’ll excuse me, I’ve got a sudden urge to dust off my vinyl collection.​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​

’Quiet Place’ Makes A Chilling Creak


“A Quiet Place: Day One” thrusts you right back into the nerve-wracking world of silence and survival, but this time, it’s the beginning of the nightmare.

Directed by Michael Sarnoski, the film captures the raw terror of the invasion’s first day with an intensity that will keep you on edge. Not quite like the original film, but not far off.

Lupita Nyong’o delivers a powerful performance, grounding the chaos with a sense of desperate determination. Her character’s journey through a crumbling city is both harrowing and deeply human, as she clings to the small things that make life worth living—even as the world falls apart around her.

Joseph Quinn shines as a terrified law student caught up in the horror, his chemistry with Nyong’o adding emotional weight to the relentless tension.

The film’s minimalist dialogue and Sarnoski’s focus on visual storytelling make every glance, every gesture, count. The result is a movie that speaks volumes even in its silence. Like the original.

Visually, “Day One” doesn’t disappoint. The scenes of destruction and panic are visceral, drawing clear inspiration from real-world disasters.

The film is a masterclass in building suspense, using the quiet moments to heighten the impact of the inevitable chaos. It’s a terrifyingly effective reminder of the power of silence—and the horrors that lurk within it.

However, “Day One” isn’t without its shortcomings. The story, while intense, doesn’t offer much that’s new to the franchise. The plot sticks closely to the formula that made the previous films successful, but this also makes it feel somewhat predictable. The characters, though well-acted, could have been fleshed out more to give the narrative a deeper emotional resonance. As a result, the film at times feels more like a well-executed spin-off than a necessary expansion of the universe.

While it doesn’t break new ground in terms of narrative, “A Quiet Place: Day One” is a solid, tension-filled addition to the franchise. It delivers exactly what fans expect: suspense, emotional depth, and a chilling look at the day the world went silent.