Movie Review - Weapons

Director: Zach Cregger
Genre: Horror/ mystery
Runtime: 128 minutes
Year: 2025
Starring: Julia Garner, Josh Brolin, Benedict Wong, Alden Ehrenreich, Amy Madigan, Justin Long
 
Description: When all but one child from the same class mysteriously vanish on the same night at exactly the same time, a community is left questioning who or what is behind their disappearance.
 
Review: “Weapons” is a horror film directed by Zach Cregger, who also made “Barbarian”. This movie really surprised me with its originality and shocking twists. “Weapons” is no different.

At the start of the movie, we learn that all but one kid from the same class have disappeared. They all vanished at the exact same time in the middle of the night.

The film has a complex, non-linear structure in which the story is told from different points of view. This makes the film unpredictable and captivating. It has a mix of horror and thriller, with elements of dark comedy. It constantly balances tension, terror and humor, avoiding conventional horror tropes.

I praise Zach Cregger for his creative and idiosyncratic storytelling style, which kept me on the edge of my set the entire time. The film is definitely not for everyone and especially towards the end it’s pretty gruesome. It has great performances by Julia Garner and Josh Brolin and I loved the bold approach to the genre.

Please go in with a blank slate, knowing as little as possible about the film. This way the experience is so much better, because it has many unexpected, surprising twists. “Weapons” is unique in its storytelling and content. Get ready to be blown away. My favorite film of 2025 (so far).

Rating: 5/ 5

Movie Review - Barbarian

Director: Zack Cregger
Genre: Horror/ Thiller
Runtime: 102 minutes
Year: 2022
Starring: Georgina Campbell, Bill Skarsgård, Justin Long, Matthew Patrick Davis, Richard Drake
 
Description: A woman (Georgina Campbell) staying at an Airbnb discovers that the house she has rented is not what it seems.

Review: What happens when you go to see a movie that is said to be so scary, it made people sick? You watch it do find out of it really is that scary. Most of the time, it’s not really as scary as they say is it. But “Barbarian” really is extremely creepy and disturbing. When seeing this, it’s best to know as little as possible, because this way it will shock you to the core.

Tess rents a house in an abandoned Detroit neighborhood, because she has an important job interview. When she arrives, it appears to be double-booked. A guy named Keith seems as surprised as she is, when he discovers they both booked the same house. There is not really anything else to find last-minute, since it’s the middle of the night, so Keith offers to sleep on the couch when Tess can take the bedroom. When Tess is in bed, her bedroom door suddenly opens and it seemingly gets harder and harder to trust Keith.

To give away more would be a shame, because the strength of the film is that you are in the dark about what will happen next. You have no idea what is coming, because you have no idea what’s going on.   
By putting Tess in an unfamiliar house with a stranger who is trying very hard to gain her trust, the unease quickly creeps in. That tension lingers and builds quietly.  Until very quickly it goes from second to fifth gear.

What eventually transpires is disturbing, but also sad. It creates mixed feelings, but that is clearly the intention of the creators. The evil in a horror film, in any form, is more beautiful when its not black and white.

“Barbarian” is a very creepy movie, at least on the first viewing. It would probably not be as scary when you’re watching it a second time. The acting is really strong, especially from Georgina Campbell. I wouldn’t mind seeing more of her in the future. “Barbarian” is one of the best horror movies I have seen in a while.

Rating: 4/ 5

10s Movie Review - Jay and Silent Bob Reboot

Director: Kevin Smith
Genre: Comedy
Runtime: 105 minutes
Year: 2019
Starring: Kevin Smith, Jason Mewes, Fred Armisen, Harley Quinn Smith, Shannon Elizabeth, Rosario Dawson, Chris Hemsworth, Ben Affleck, Matt Damon, Joey Lauren Adams, Justin Long

 Description: Jay (Jason Mewes) and Silent Bob (Kevin Smith) inadvertently sign away their names and rights to the new Bluntman and Chronic movie. Now they head to Hollywood to stop the film from being made. Along the way Jay discovers that he is a father.

I WATCHED THIS MOVIE FOR MY 2022 MOVIE CHALLENGE
WEEK 18: A FILM STARRING YOUR CELEBRITY CRUSH
 
Review: Kevin Smith was once considered an up-and-coming talent. The American made such gems as “Clerks” and “Chasing Amy” with which he proved that coarse humor and obscene language could be combined perfectly with the pain of an unattainable love or hopeless job. These films were layered narratives about real-life problems. Smith grew increasingly famous and began to shift his field of work to include writing comic books and canning genre films.  

“Jay and Silent Bob  are character , played by Jason Mewes and Kevin Smith, that kill time by smoking weed and hanging around. They first appeared in “Clerks” and later in “Mallrats”, “Chasing Amy” and “Dogma”, as side characters. In “Jay and Silent Bob Strike Back” they got their own movie. In “Jay and Silent Bob Reboot” they hear that the comic book based on their lives, “Bluntman and Chronic”, will be turned into a movie. They decided to go to Hollywood to stop it.

I always love a film that mocks itself and is very self-aware, making meta-jokes and be self-referral. Kevin Smith takes it a bit too far and fills his movie with these types of jokes. This makes the film annoying at times and not really all that funny. I just didn’t enjoy it all that much. Sad, because I really like Jay and Silent Bob. And Kevin Smith.

Rating: 2 / 5

00s Movie Review - He's Just Not That Into You

Director: Ken Kwapis
Genre: Comedy/ Romance/ Drama
Runtime: 130 minutes
Year: 2008
Starring: Ginnifer Goodwin, Jennifer Connelly, Scarlett Johansson, Jennifer Aniston, Drew Barrymore, Justin Long, Bradley Cooper, Kevin Connolly, Ben Affleck

Description: The Baltimore-set movie of interconnecting story arcs deals with the challenges of reading or misreading human behavior.

Review: “He’s Just Not That Into You” proofs again that a bunch of big movie stars are not a guarantee for a great film. The film is based on a book written by Liz Tuccillo and Greg Behrendt. “He’s Just Not That Into You” is cliché, sexist and bland. It sounds dramatic when I put it like this, because it’s still an enjoyable watch. But it’s definitely not a must-see.
The film opens with a little girl that is bullied by a boy her age. Her mother tells her that boys do that, because they like the girl. Twenty something years later, her relationship with men hasn’t become any clearer. Gigi, as we meet her, is a naïve girl that still has no clue what all the codes of dating are. She asks her friends for advice, but they don’t always know either.
Based on some existential questions (if he’s not calling you, if she’s not sleeping with you, if he’s not marrying you) we meet several characters in their twenties and thirties that deal and struggle with relationships. Their paths cross, there is laughter, there are tears, there is adultery, there is marriage. It’s all pretty predictable and not very original. Some of the characters are worth your attention though. But most of them are cliché. And none of the actors really seem to enjoy their role or give them any depth. 
Towards the end it gets more interesting. The stories are a bit stronger and get a bit more depth. “He’s Just Not That Into You” is okay, but it’s simply not funny, dramatic or grabbing enough to stand out.

Rating: 2,5/ 5

100 Movie Challenge 2016 - # 19: Galaxy Quest

Director: Dean Parisot

Genre: Adventure/ Science Fiction/ Comedy

Runtime: 102 minutes

Year: 1999

Starring: Tim Allen, Sigourney Weaver, Alan Rickman, Tony Shalhoub, Sam Rockwell, Daryl Mitchell, Missi Pyle, Justin Long, Rainn Wilson

Description: The alumni cast of a space opera television series have to play their roles as the real thing when an alien race needs their help.

Review: Sigourney Weaver is no stranger to the science fiction genre. In “Galaxy Quest” this genre is mocked. Together with Tim Allen and Alan Rickman, they play actors from an old science fiction TV show called “Galaxy Quest”.

The movie starts with a segment from that show, that stopped running after 1982. Eighteen years later the actors are still going to conventions in the costumes of their characters. The relationship between all the actors isn’t as good as it used to be. Jason Nesmith, who played Commander Taggert on the show, is the only one who’s still happy with his fame. The others are annoyed by his arrogance.

The next day, Jason wakes up with a hangover and a group of strange people is waiting for him at the door. They ask Jason to join them on their spaceship, not knowing that they are actual aliens, to fight the evil General Sarris. Jason manages to get the rest of the cast to go with him. The aliens think that the TV show is a documentary and see the actors as their role models. Their spaceship is an exact copy of the one in the TV show.

If you know “Star Trek”, you can see many resemblances. This is what the creators wanted, because the film mocks the genre. “Galaxy Quest” is really funny, both when it comes to the characters and the situations they get themselves into. Tim Allen is perfect for a movie like this and Sigourney Weaver fits in as well. Alan Rickman not so much, so you would think, but this is one of his best roles. He is surprisingly hilarious and steals every scene he is in. I also loved Sam Rockwell, who plays a character who had a guest role on the show once and his character died. Now he is afraid he will die in real life.

“Galaxy Quest” is a movie that many people probably won’t like, because it’s sometimes a bit ridiculous. But I loved this movie!

Rating: 4,5/ 5

Movie Tip #35 - He's Just Not That Into You

Director: Ken Kwapis

Starring: Ginnifer Goodwin, Justin Long, Jennifer Aniston, Ben Affleck, Bradley Cooper, Jennifer Connelly, Drew Barrymore, Kevin Connolly, Scarlett Johansson

Description: In Baltimore, five women and four men try to sort out the signals that the sexes exchange. Gigi (Ginnifer Goodwin) imagines every man she meets is Mr. Right; she gets reality checks from Alex (Justin Long), a sweet but cynical saloon keeper. Janine (Jennifer Connelly) and Ben (Bradley Cooper) seem solidly married until he chats with Anna (Scarlett Johansson) in a market checkout line; meanwhile Anna is indifferent to the pursing Connor (Kevin Connolly). Neil (Ben Affleck) and Beth (Jennifer Aniston) have been together seven years; she dumps him when she realizes he really and truly isn't going to marry her. Does he love her? And Mary (Drew Barrymore) sells advertising while searching on line for a man. Will those in love stay in love? Will those searching figure out who is and who isn't into them? Are men all that different from women?

Review: I really wanted to see this movie ever since I saw its trailer. And I loved it. I've always been a big fan of multiple storyline movies. My favourite was the one with Gigi and Alex. I also loved Beth, she's so sweet and I really felt sorry for her. Just like I felt sorry for Janine. I didn't really like Scarlett Johansson in this film, because she didn't really convince me here. Normally I love her, but now I didn't. And her character is very annoying as well. But the complete picture of this film measures up to my expectations. I really enjoyed watching it. For fans of the genre they should really check it out.

He's Just Not That Into You

I frequently check the newest movie trailers. I found the trailer of "He's Just Not That Into You". It's based on a book and it has a great cast. I watched this trailer and it looks like a funny, feel-good movie. Normaly I don't like those films (some exceptions off course), but I think I'm gonna like this one. It has a couple of different storylines (like "Love Actually") and some of those stories overlap. It's about modern day relationships and how men and women often misconstrue the intentions of the opposite sex. I'm looking forward to this movie. If you wanna check out the trailer, go to the official site of the film:
www.hesjustnotthatintoyoumovie.com
The movie will hit theaters in early February, so we don't have to wait that long. This is a movie that I can look forward to.

X Joyce